Difference of A Choice
by NinjaSquirrel1912
Summary: Instead of 'burdening' James and Lily with their useless boy, I can simply have them send the child to Lily's sister, so their full attention shall be on the child who deserves it, the one who saved us all. But when the Dursley's decide they don't want him, how different would growing up in an orphanage change Harry Potter, The REAL boy-who-lived? Not your normal WBWL fic.
1. Halloween '81

**AN: Hello! Welcome to my newest fic that I probably shouldn't be writing! YAY! Anyway this Idea (ad several others that are currently being written on my Microsoft Word) sort of just attacked me one day. I hope you like it!**

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><p><strong>Summary: WBWL fic. Instead of "burdening" James and Lily with their useless boy I can simply have them send the child to Lily's sister, so their full attention shall be on the child who deserves it, the child who saved us all.<br>How different would growing up in an orphanage change Harry Potter, The REAL boy-who-lived? (NO SLASH!)**

**Parings: None as of yet.**

**Warnings: Manipulative Dumbles. Angry Lily Potter. **

**ENJOY!**

**Halloween '81**

**_Potter home, Godric's Hollow_**

**_Oct 31st 1981_**

He watched as the two Potters went into the backyard to discuss one of their many, many problems caused by his Death Eaters. He started towards the open back door, almost grinning, almost. He had a task to complete that could risk his very existence.

_The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord…_

Vanquish? _Vanquish?! _That must never be allowed to happen. The Potter twins must _die._

He walked up the stairs towards the nursery that the twins had been put to bed in not twenty minutes prior to his entrance. The door to the nursery was standing open when he reached the top of the stairs and the green eyed child was staring at him through the crack, as if he knew his doom was near.

He pushed the door open to reveal both twins still awake in their cribs. The black haired boy was still staring at him and he decided to let him see the death of his brother before killing the child.

He turned to the red haired boy and picked him up. As soon as the Dark Lord touched the child he began squirming uncontrollably. So much so that he slipped through the hands of his soon-to-be killer, hit the ground, and went still.

"Shame," said Voldemort as he checked the boy for life. "I was hoping to kill you differently." Finding none, he turned to the other twin. "Now child, it is your turn." He raised his wand and stared down his unblinking victim. "_Avada Kedarva" _The green light of death raced towards the young child. Yet before it could reach him and suck out his life-force, a golden light erupted around the child. Acting as a shield, the golden shield caused the Killing Curse to come back towards its caster. The Dark Lord's final thoughts were those dooming his down fall, and promising he shall rise again.

'_Harry Potter may have set me back slightly, but I am far from _Vanquished_!'_

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><p>Lily and James Potter were in their backyard when they heard the explosion.<br>"James. Was that-"

"The nursery?" The man finished for her then nodded.

"Oh Merlin, The boys!" The distraught mother ran inside towards her children, James right behind her.

The sight they saw when they got to the nursery was one of total destruction. "Harry? Alex? Boys? Oh James, tell me they're okay. Dear God tell me they're okay."

Just then Alex began to cry. "Alex! There you are buddy!" James picked him up.  
>"James! What about Harry?!" Lily looked over to where Harry's crib was to see a small pile of rubble on top of it. "Give me Alex and move that rubble!" She demanded of her husband.<p>

James did as he was told and moved the rubble to see Harry laying down, content with a lightning bolt shaped wound on his forehead. "James, is that Harry?" The man looked up at his wife and smiled.  
>"He's right here."<p>

"Oh thank Merlin! They're both alright!"

"Lily, does Alex have a wound on his forehead?"

"Does he wha- Oh my, he does!" She pulled the hair away from his forehead to show an arrow shaped cut.

"It would seem that young Alex here has just saved us all." Lily and James both turned to see Albus Dumbledore in the doorway.

"Profess-"

"Lily, I have told you to call me Albus. I am no longer your Professor."

"Sorry, Pro- I mean, Albus"

"It is no worry Lily, none at all."

"What did you mean by 'Saved us all', Albus?" James asked.

"Well, simply put he has just eliminated Voldemort."

"He just What?" James. "But Albus! He is just a boy!" Lily.

Dumbledore held up his hand. "Calm down, calm down, both of you. I believe that, judging from the touch of Voldemort's magic on Alexander, Voldemort had come in here to kill your boys but when he turned his wand onto Alexander the child's accidental magic protected himself and Harry from the Killing curse effectively making the curse backfire onto the caster. Alexander is the Boy-Who-Lived."

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><p><strong><em>Dumbledore's Office<em>**

**_Nov 4th_**

What to do, What to do… The Potters simply cannot raise both boys while giving Alex the attention he rightfully deserves. I certainly wouldn't want to burden them with Harry. It just wouldn't do, now would it? _But what to do with him… _I should not place him in the wizarding world, no, no, then the Potters might decide to go to him. Lily _is_ muggleborn after all, maybe her sister- what was her name? Petunia? Yes that sounds right. - I could send the child to her sister. Now I just have to convince the Potters to give me Harry.

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><p><strong><em>Dumbledore's Office <em>**

**_Nov 5th_**

"Thank-you for coming, Lily, James," Dumbledore motioned for them both to sit down. "And thank-you for bringing Harry."

"It's no problem, Albus." Said James "Just a little confused on why you asked us to bring Harry."

"Well that's why I asked you both here."

"About Harry? Is he suddenly famous too? Isn't he supposed to be the normal one? Or maybe to tell us he has saved some other world, Mars maybe?" Lily ranted, furious.

"Lily, clam down" James whispered, to Dumbledore he added, "She is just a little on wit's end with all the press…"

"A _little?!"_ Lily asked.

"Or maybe a lot." James finished. Lily glared at him.

"That is perfectly alright, James. And, no, Lily Harry is still perfectly normal. I simply wished to ask you to give him to me for protection, to keep him the normal little boy. So he does not grow jealous of his brother, or so no one goes after him to get to Alex." Dumbledore explained.

"You want to what?" Lily asked, dangerously calm.

"Lily flower, he just wants to keep Harry safe!" James tried to calm his furious wife.

"Safe? _Safe?!_ Safe, living with some stranger, with us knowing exactly _nothing _about how our little boy is growing up, I think NOT! He is one of my babies! You will _not _take him from me and give him to a complete stranger! He—" Dumbledore cut her off.

"Lily, he will not be going to strangers, I assure you that you know them."

"Well then who are they?"

"I cannot tell you th—"

"'Cannot Tell' us? What do you mean you can't tell us?!"

"It is solely for Harry's protection. If you were to be caught and tortured you cannot tell them what you do not know." Dumbledore explained.

"What I want to know," started James "is, why Harry, why do we put Harry into hiding and not Alex?" Dumbledore cursed himself silently. "The answer there is simple, Harry is in more danger. People would be more likely to go after him to get to Alex rather than go the extra mile and kidnap Alex himself."

"Oh, well I suppose that makes sense." James consented.

"Sense? James how could you?"

"Lily, you wouldn't want him to be kidnapped would you?" James countered.

"Well, no, But—"

"Then trust Dumbledore and let him put Harry into protection."

"We will give you monthly updates on the boy." Dumbledore added, probably lying.

"Oh, alright. But there is no way in hell that I am happy with this!" Lily relented, begrudgingly.

James handed Dumbledore Harry.

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><p><strong><em>4, Privet Drive, Little Winging, Surrey<em>**

**_Nov 5th, evening_**

Dumbledore placed the child on the doorstep, rang the doorbell and apparated away. He only left the child and a letter, explaining that the Potter's and Alex were dead and the Dursleys were the only living relatives able to take him. In other words, not a word in that letter was true.

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><p><strong><em>Nov 6th, early morning<em>**

Vernon Dursley opened the door to step out to work and nearly stepped on, is that a BABY?

"P-petunia! Come quick!" he shouted.

"What is it Vernon, dear?"

"It's a b— it's a bab-" Petunia went around him and saw the baby. She picked up the letter and her eyes widened when she saw the name, 'Harry Potter.' She quickly tore open the letter and read it just as fast. Then, picking up the boy, she brought little Harry inside. "Petunia? What in earth are you doing?" Vernon questioned.  
>"We need to help him Vernon."<p>

"Who is he?"

"One of my sister's boys, Harry."

"Well then, why can't your sister take care of _her_ son?!"

"She's dead."

"WELL THE- Wait, _dead?!"_

Petunia nodded. "Yes, Dead."

"And they bring him to us?!"

"It says we are his only living relatives."

"Who the bloody hell cares?! Why not just dump him off on one of their freak friends' doorsteps!?"

"But Vernon he's Fa—"

"I WILL NOT HAVE ONE OF THOSE- THOSE _THINGS_ LIVING IN MY HOUSE!"

"But where will he go?"

"I don't care. Dump him off in an orphanage for all I care. Just don't let him be here when I get home." The man stalked out the door and slammed it behind him, making the entire house shudder.  
>Petunia looked down at her nephew's unblinking eyes. "Such a good boy, shame that you have to go. But I would rather have my sister's child alive and at an orphanage then with me and dead."<p>

She wrote out a new letter, picked up the boy and drove to the orphanage. Where she then set him on the doorstep, knocked, then ran off.

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><p><em><strong>Surrey Charity Orphanage<strong>_

_**Nov 6th, Afternoon**_

The Matron opened the door to find a small child wrapped in a blue blanked and a lightning bolt scar on her doorstep. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed, picked him up, and brought him inside.

She noticed the letter while she was setting him down in one of the cribs. "Well then, what might this be?"

_Dear Orphanage Matron,_

_This boy's name is Harry James Potter and His birthday is July 31__st__ .His Parents are dead and I have no way of caring for him. Please take care of him._

The letter wasn't signed. But the Matron was used to anonymous drop offs. Just not in November! Poor Harry must have been freezing! She looked down at the child, he sat there looking up at her. "Such a good boy, it seems a shame that your parents are dead." She picked him up. "Come Harry! We are going to get you fed." The boy snuggled into her warm arms and went to sleep. "Or maybe a nap is in order." She said, chuckling.

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><p><strong><em>Surrey Charity Orphanage<em>**

**_August 22nd 1987_**

"Ha, ha! Yeah you get him Jake! Get the squirt!"

The boys were out in the yard again, bullying the new kid. This kid had been in at least four orphanages before, or at least that is what the Matron told everyone.  
>Harry watched as the Matron walked out and broke up the group. She walked back into the orphanage with the new kid.<p>

Harry turned away from the window, adjusted his glasses and went back to his book. He heard the door to the 5-9 year old boy's room open. Looking up Harry saw the Matron and boy walk in. The Matron turned to look at Harry. "Harry darling, would you mind keeping this boy right here company while I finish making the Friday Chili?" She said, but Harry translated her words to find her meaning. 'Protect him' was the general gist of it. Harry nodded and the Matron looked at him gratefully.

Most of the children at the Surrey Charity Orphanage avoided Harry if ever possible. According to them, he was weird. That and, though being one of the younger children in the orphanage, he had been here the longest without getting adopted. A few people said he was favored by the Matron and that was why he never got any interviews with people. That also gave people another reason to avoid him, Little Doggie they called him, referring to the term "Teacher's Pet." Not that Harry really minded being ignored, in fact he loved having no friends in this place! Many of the people who came through here were, to put it nicely, not the nicest people. Jake was the current "King of the Fools" as Harry liked to call him, but he would leave, they all do at some point.

Harry put his book up, stood up, and walked over to the kid. "My name is Harry Potter, What's yours?"

He mumbled something that Harry couldn't hear. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"I said my name is Parker, Parker Stephens."

"Nice to meet you Parker. How old are you?" Harry asked.

"I'm six, just turned six in June." Parker answered.

"Really? I'm seven. Where are you from?"

"London, how about you?"

"Don't know, suppose I'm from Surrey, but I don't really know."

"You didn't know your parents?" Parker asked

"Nope! Well, a few glimpses every now and then but don't know their names. I have never _really_ met them. Matron says they're dead."

"Me either. I was dropped off on the doorstep of one of the London orphanages. They only know my name 'cause it was written on my shirt."

"Wow."

"Yep, don't even know if they are dead or just didn't want me. No one ever does." He finished miserably.

Harry didn't quite know what to say to that, he had never really gotten that kind of lonely feeling before. Sure, he had gotten rejected loads of times, but he always got a hug from the Matron when he did. Yet standing here in front of him was a boy who had no one. Harry at least had the Matron, if nothing else, but Parker, he had absolutely no one. He got no hugs when he was rejected he was all, alone.

"I do." Harry surprised himself by saying.

"What do you mean?" Parker asked, confused.

"I mean, if you want we can be, brothers." Friends wouldn't do it. He- they _both_ needed someone that they could call family.

"Brothers?" Parker looked at Harry with awe filled eyes. "You would do that, for me?" Harry nodded.

"A brother, I have a real brother!" Parker smiled wide and hugged Harry, effectively surprising him.

Harry looked down at him and said, "So do I, Parker, So do I" and hugged him back.

The Matron walked back in to find the two boys on Harry's bed. It seemed that Harry was teaching Parker how to read. She smiled, it seems those two will be getting along just fine.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, I would love it if you would review and tell me if you like it, but you could also review and tell me if you don't, I'm not picky. Yeah seriously though, i hope you all like it. Tell me if I should continue. If so i will post the next chapter sometime next week<br>**

**NINJA OUT!**


	2. Magic and Maddness!

**AN: I LOVE YOU ALL! Every single last one of you! I didn't have the best week, but every time I got an alert in my email it made me smile. I repeat, YOU GUYS ROCK! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Parker. **

**Magic and Madness!**

**_Surrey Charity Orphanage_**

**_July 1st 1991_**

"Harry! Parker! You will miss lunch if you aren't down here soon!" Yelled the Matron at the two, she checked her watch, now _very_ late boys. She looked down at the two plates of Wednesday pizza that were getting cold. She picked up the plates and microwaved them, again.

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><p>The very boys who are late for their lunch are currently upstairs, planning their latest prank.<br>"No, no, no, Harry! We should prank Jessica first! It is so much more fun to prank her!" exclaimed Parker.

"I don't know Parker, We do her all the ti- " Harry looked at his watch. "Oh my gosh! Speaking of time, we're missing lunch!"

"What? ACK!" Parker began packing all his pranking planning stuff away. "And on Pizza Wednesday too!" Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed Parker's arm dragging him down the stairs, ignoring his complaints the entire way.

"But Jessica miiiiiiight." Parker's complaint rolled to a slow stop when he saw the way the Matron was looking at them.  
>"'Jessica might' <em>what<em> exactly, Mr. Stephens?" She asked sternly. Parker made the "zipping his lips closed" motion to show he wouldn't talk. The Matron sighed. "Oh well, I suppose I will have to warn her later. But right now what you two boys need is to eat your lunch. Which, by the way, has been sitting here for over an hour."

"Sorry, Matron." They coursed.  
>"We- we must have lost track of time." Parker looked up at the Matron with puppy-dog eyes. "Please forgive us?" He asked her.<br>"Don't use those eyes on me Mr. Stephens, you know they don't work." She stated and Parker frowned. "But, the punishment is going to be cleaning the dishes."  
>"But Matron! You do that, not us!" Harry protested.<br>"And I would have! _If _you two had come down for lunch on time! Now I have other things to do!" She countered.  
>Thy boys sighed, defeated. For now.<p>

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><p><strong><em>#4 Privet Drive, Surrey<em>**

**_July 1st 1991_**

Severus Snape was waging a war with a door, and loosing. Albus was crazy for sending him here, knowing all the while of his history with Tuney. He lifted his hand to knock, again, but this time the door opened just as he was knocking. So, instead of his fist hitting wood, it hit the face of Vernon Dursley.

The whale of a man turned to see Severus standing there, "WHAT IN DEVIL'S NAME ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?!" He shouted. Severus put a hand to his ear to check his hearing.  
>The man's shout must have aroused his wife and son, as footsteps from the direction of the kitchen could be heard heading their way. Petunia pushed past her husband and gasped, "Severus? What on earth are you do-"<p>

"No time Tuney, Where is Potter's boy?" She looked confused.

"Who is-"

"OH YOU MEAN THAT CHILD OF THE DEVIL? We sent him away the moment we set eyes on the heathen child." Vernon interrupted his wife.

"Sent him away? What do you mean _sent him away?!_" Severus questioned, getting angry.

"You know, Vernon if you don't leave now you will be late for work and might miss your promotion because of it. So hurry along." Petunia said all of this while looking at Severus.

"Yes, yes you're right Darling, as usual. _Move freak."_ Severus coolly stepped out of his way. And still got squeezed into the wall.

Petunia waited till he was gone then beckoned Severus inside. She turned to her son, "Dudders, go finish your breakfast for mummy okay?" The boy nodded and went back into the kitchen, seeming to be totally shocked. Tuney showed him into the den and sat down. "Please, Severus, sit down."  
>Severus did as she asked. "Tuney, where is your nephew?" She sighed and started twiddling her fingers together. "He-he isn't here. Vernon made me send him away as soon as he saw the boy." She answered.<br>"Then where is he? Where did you take him?"

"Surrey Charity Orphanage."

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><p><em><strong>Surrey Charity Orphanage<strong>_

_**July 2nd 1991**_

"GET OFF HIM YOU- YOU CRAZY PEOPLE!" Harry yelled at the girls attacking Parker. He tried to fight the two that were holding him off, but he couldn't.  
>Let him- Let him go!" Parker gave one more little whimper and Harry lost it. At least that was what was going through the Girls' minds as they flew towards the air straight into the wall.<p>

Harry ran for Parker as soon as he was free of the hands of the girls. He held Parker close and the smaller boy curled up in his embrace. "I am so sorry, Parker, I tried." The boy nodded slightly and clutched Harry's hand for dear life. "You... saved...me." Parker croaked. Harry held him tighter.

The Matron ran in to see five of the older girls slumped against the wall, unconscious, books _floating_ through the air, and two small boys sitting in the middle of the room holding each other.  
><em>'Not again, Harry'<em> She thought as she quickly rounded up the books before anyone could see. Then she went to check if the girls were all okay.

She, of course, knew what was happening. It always had seemed to happen around Harry when he was especially sad or angry, even happy on occasion. She remembered last St Valentine's Day with a shiver. Well, to put it this way, it wasn't exactly hard to make the connection to Harry. She also knew that he knew absolutely nothing about these instances, and she wanted to keep it that way.

The Matron slowly walked over to the boys and put a hand on Harry's shoulder, he jumped a little but relaxed when he saw who it was. "Hello, Matron." He whispered, gesturing to Parker, asleep in his arms, She smiled, "Do you want me to help you take him to his bed?" Harry nodded and Matron picked Parker up.  
>"So what was it this time?" She asked.<p>

"They were kicking him, and kicking him... I couldn't let them do that to my little brother. Am I in trouble? Are the girls hurt?" Typical Harry, once Parker was in the clear he always wanted to know if those who were bullying him were okay. He is such a sweet, caring boy.  
>"Yes, they are all fine. But I would like to know how they got all the way over to the wall?"<p>

Harry looked confused "I-I pushed them?" It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"Yes, Harry I suppose you did..."

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><p><strong><em>Outside of Surrey Charity Orphanage<em>**

**_July 2nd 1991_**

Severus Snape was not a happy man, sure he didn't exactly _like_ the Potter's (minus Lily of course) but even _James Potter _did not deserve to be _lied_ to for almost ten years! Dumbledore is going to get it when he tells Lily. Oh ho! Is he going to get it. But for now, to give the child his Hogwarts letter. _'An Orphanage, Really?' _he thought as he walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. It was answered by a raven haired child with green eyes and- Severus' eyes widened.- A lightning bolt scar!

He was looking at Harry Potter.

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><p><em><strong>Review Replies: <strong>_

_**Alice: I Do to! And some of the reasons you stated are why I decided to write my own. Personally I really don't think that Lily & James would give up/neglect Harry. From what I've read about them they loved him WAY to much for that. Twin or otherwise. About Petunia, personally I think that somewhere deep, deep inside she really did love her sister. So that's why my version of her didn't hate Harry right off the bat. And everybody deserves a friend. :)**_

_**autumngold: Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it! Oh trust me, they will be. ;)**_

_**nemmodo: I hope you liked this chapter! **_

_**THANK YOU ALL FOR REVIEWING, FAVORITING, AND FOLLOWING. You all made my day! **_

**AN: Yes, I do know that this one is shorter than the first but it felt like a good place to end it. I will post the next one, next week. See you all then! For now, Please review? I love hearing what you have to say about my work. and any suggestions you have will be taken into account and most likely used sometime in the story. THANKS!  
><strong>


	3. A Letter From a Pig

**AN: Hello All! Another week, another chapter...Happy Belated Valentines Day! (Otherwise Known as Single Awareness Day)  
><strong>

**am I forgetting something? Oh yeah,  
><strong>

**YOU ALL ROCK! :D I seriously LOVE you guys! **

**Yes and this story was added to a Community_, Betrayed Heroes,_ Thank you so much to whoever added me to that. :) **

**I DISCLAIM THE RIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER. SANTA STILL HASN'T BROUGHT ME THAT _OR_ THE PONY I ASKED FOR WHEN I WAS SEVEN. :(**

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><p><em><strong>A Letter from a Pig<strong>_

**_Surrey Charity Orphanage_**

**_July 2nd 1991_**

"Can I help you mister?" asked Harry. Severus started, "Wha- oh yes of course!"  
>"Harry?" A voice said from inside. "What have I said about being nice to visitors?"<p>

"Always be polite in case they actually like you." Harry recited. The Matron opened the door a little wider. "Well that wasn't my exact wording but..." She looked up, seemed to remember Snape was there, and smiled. "Right, Uh How may I help you sir? Harry go back upstairs."

"Actually Ms..."

"Charlotte"

"Thank you. Ms. Charlotte, I am here to speak with young Mister Potter."

"You are? I mean, why do you need to speak with him?"

"Yes. I am from a special school. My name is Professor Severus Snape."

"Nice to meet you Professor. You are from a school you say? A _special_ school?"

"I am."

"I don't remember Harry applying to any schools."

"His parents signed him up for it." Severus did not feel like outright lying to the Matron, she seemed to genuinely care about the boy.

"Oh, but aren't his parents dead?" His eyes widened. Dumbledore did not even tell the boy his parents are alive and well.

"No, they are not." Snape forced calm words out of his lips.

"Really? The letter said they were dead..."

"Letter? What letter?"

"The one that was left with him. Almost ten years ago."

"Oh, that letter was incorrect."

"Apparently..."

"Miss?"

"Yes, Mister Snape?"

"May I come in?"

"Wha- oh right! So sorry! Come right in." She opened the door and stepped aside to let him in. "Follow me to my office." She led him into a small office with a small window to the right looking out on the yard where some children were playing. Charlotte motioned for him to sit in one of the chairs on his side of the desk. "Miss Charlotte, may I give the child his letter?"

"Letter?"

"His letter of acceptance to the school."

"I don't see why not. As long as I am there as well."

Severus nodded. The Matron left the room, to fetch Harry he supposed, Snape sat back in his chair and thought about what Dumbledore did to the Potter family. Not only did he lie to Lily and James, he lied to Harry as well. He also must have falsified those reports about Harry.  
>The door opened to admit the Matron and Harry Potter.<p>

Harry looked at Severus warily, but sat down in the chair next to him anyway. Just as the Matron was sitting down he blurted, "You're not going to adopt me, are you?"

"No I am not" Harry seemed to relax.

"Then why are you here?"

"Harry, he is here to give you a letter." Charlotte intervened

"Isn't that the Postman's job?"

"It is a letter from a school" Severus answered.

"What sort of school?" the boy asked, Severus handed him the letter.

"Read it and find out."

Harry took the letter and examined the crest on the back. "Impressive, what do the animals stand for?"

"The school houses."

Harry nodded and went back to looking at the letter. Finally he opened it,

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
>Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)<em>

Dear Mr. H. Potter,

We are Pleased to inform you that you have been accepted

at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please

find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment

Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no

later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Hogwarts School of _what exactly?!"_ Harry demanded.

"Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, I know this may sound a little far-fetched-" Severus started.

"A _little?!_ Professor Severus, I can't be a wizard. I-I'm just Harry."

"Just Harry? Well then "just Harry" tell me, has anything odd or unusual ever happened around you? Something when you were feeling a strong emotion?" Harry seemed to think that over. Both boys had forgotten that the Matron was there until she stood up and walked over to Harry.  
>She put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Harry, trust me on this. You <em>are<em> a wizard." Harry just stared at her as she walked out.  
>"What did she mean by that?" Harry asked. Severus shrugged.<p>

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><p>Harry stared at the letter for a little while longer while trying to figure out if it was a hoax or not. Severus just sat there watching Lily's child <em>'he has her eyes' <em>he thought. Then the door opened again letting Parker run through and jump on Harry. Severus' eyes widened at the sight.  
>"Hey Harry! OOH! You got a letter! Lemme see lemme see!" Harry let Parker grab the letter and start reading it.<p>

"Harry?"

"Yes Parker?" Harry asked, expecting him to ask if he was a wizard.

"Why did you get a letter from a pig?" Harry looked at him funny, but Severus started chuckling.

"Where did you get that idea boy?" He asked Parker.

"It says Hogwarts! It means a sick pig right?"

"No, Parker it is a school." Parker wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"Well, Harry, it is a really funny name for a school."

"Parker, it is a school for wizards." Parker's eyes widened and he read the rest of the letter.

"Harry! You're a Wizard! Awesome!" Harry smiled. Parker looked to Severus. "You must be a Wizard too! Could you show us some magic?!" Parker was so excited he was jumping up and down in his seat.

"I don't know if that would be such a good idea boys..."

"Yeah come on Professor! I wanna see what I am getting into here!"

Severus sighed, "Alright, but just a little." He looked around the room and spied a small reindeer forgotten from last Christmas, Severus smiled. "Watch this boys. _Wingardium Leviosa"_ The reindeer flew up to the ceiling and around the room a few times, the boys trying to chase it and laughing all the way.

Once the demonstration was over Harry turned to look at Severus. "Professor, I want to learn how to do that." Severus smiled.

"Well then. We will have to take you to get your supplies."

"When?" Harry asked, excited.

"How about tomorrow?"

Harry's eyes lit up at the thought of meeting more people like him.

* * *

><p>As Severus opened the door to leave, Harry ran up to greet him. "Professor Severus?"<p>

"Yes Harry?" He keeled and looked the boy in the eye.

"It will be _you_ taking me tomorrow, right?" Severus smiled.  
>"Yes I will be Harry."<p>

"Okay, just making sure. Thanks Professor!"

As the door closed behind him, Severus thought about how different this Potter boy acted from his Father and twin. His smile got a little wider. Yes, He could _learn_ to like this boy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: How'd you like that chapter? Huh? Huh? :) I would love it if you reviewed but you don't have to<strong>.

**_REVIEW REPLIES!_**

**_Alice: the reason why _****_I said "The Non-existent Harry Potter" is well, let's see. In my way of thinking, the wizarding world LOVES to gossip. And Harry Potter hadn't been seen in public for ten years so the rumors started going around. (_Yes I thought about this for a while_) The worst being that Harry Potter was actually James turned into a baby. But when Severus thought that he was sort of being Sarcastic. I hope that answers your question. :) If it was to confusing just tell me. (_OOH One-shot idea!_)  
><em>**

_**Extended Experience: Aw shucks! :) You made me blush! Seriously though, thanks. I am really glad you decided to try it too. I do try to make my stories as original as possible. **_

_**Native American Pride: Love your Username BTW. I am so glad you love it! I hope you like this chapter! **_

**Fave'rs and Followers i would name you all but I don't think my fingers could take it. But do please know that you are all appreciated. A lot. :)**

**Well, I will see you all next week! Love ya! ;)  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Quick extra AN: Some of you have wondered why harry isn't pissed at his parents or the Dursleys for abandoning him. Well he has come to terms with the Dursleys ababdonment of him as he has known about that for a long time. As for his parents? At this time in the story he doesn't know they are alive yet. But he will find out soon and he is not going to forgive them easily. Sorry for any confusion. I just wanted to say that before my update on either Sunday or Tuesday. You all have been so amazing I am thinking of rewarding you with an early chapter. COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! (::) (::) (::) (::) if any of you have any more questions you can PM me. I am, always willing to have a nice dicussion on my <strong>**stories. See you all soon!**

**Ninja**


	4. Shopping in Wonder

**IMPORTANT! There will NOT be serious Potter bashing in this story. there will be a little but not a lot. the story is not about that. But yes, it is going to take a long time for Harry to forgive his parents. But he will EVENTUALLY forgive them. I don't know when yet, but he will. **

**AN: Hello! Welcome my Dear, Sweet, WONDERFUL Readers! I. Love. You. All! (I think I say that a lot. but i really mean it!)**

**Yes, there is a little surprise that some of you might have not (hopefully) seen coming. If you did... Have some cookies! Good job! (::)(::)  
><strong>

_**I was planning on writing a chapter on Lily & James P.O.V of the time that has passed but i decided to do that on Sunday and then found absolutely NO time to write! ACK! So that chapter will be next. But as for now... Enjoy!**_

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><p><strong>Shopping in Wonder<strong>

_Home of Professor Severus Snape_

_Spinners End_

_July 3__rd__ 1991_

_Dear Lily, _

_I wished to inform you of-_'

Severus crumpled up the letter and sighed. That was his fourteenth draft. '_Well,' _he thought jokingly _'at least I never tried to be an author.'_ He looked at the time, 8 o'clock already? He must have been up all night trying to figure out how to contact Lily... _'8 o'clock, 8o'clock...'_ Why did that time sound so- HARRY! He jumped out of his chair and ran for the door. He had agreed to take Harry Potter out to Diagon alley for his school shopping at Eight O'clock!

He disapparated hoping he wouldn't be too late.

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><p><em>Surrey Charity Orphanage <em>

_July 3__rd__ 1991_

Harry sat back in his chair, trying to focus on his book, 'O_liver Twist', _but he couldn't stop himself from looking over at the clock, 8:05 it read. He sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day. For a moment he let the discouraging thoughts sneak back into his mind. _'What if he doesn't come? What if it really was a dream? What if this is the stupid world's idea of a practical joke!?' _

Parker walked in the room to see Harry sitting in his reading chair with a book, but not actually reading it. He walked up in front of him and put his face right above the book and said, "What'cha thinking?" _very _loudly. Harry started and nearly jumped out of the chair.

"Parker! Holy smokes, don't do that again!"

"Sorry." Replied Parker, not looking very sorry. "What'cha thinking?" He repeated.

Harry looked at Parker, then let his eyes travel to the clock on the wall. "He's Late."

Parker followed his gaze. "Harry! He is only five minutes late!" He countered, chuckling.

"Yes, but still-" Harry was cut off as there was a loud knock on the front door. "I'LL GET IT!"

He ran into the hallway only to be stopped by matron. "No. _I_ will get it."

She marched up to the front door and opened it to see a breathless Severus Snape standing there. "Sorry...I'm...Late..." Harry smiled and snuck up behind the Matron and said, "Hello Professor!" Making the matron jump.

"Harry James Potter what have I told you about sneaking up on someone?"

Harry thought for a moment.

Parker walked through the door, "Nothing at all Matron. You are always telling _me_ not to sneak up on people!" He laughed, then he saw Severus. "Professor! _Canyoupleaseshowusmoremagic_?!"

Severus smiled. "I am sure Harry will be seeing plenty of that today." Harry's smile got bigger and Parker's eyes widened. "I want to go too! Can I Matron? Professor, please?" He pleaded with them both.

Matron looked over to Severus. "It's up to you."

Parker looked up at him giving him the puppy-dog look. "Pweese Pwrofessor?" he pleaded again. Harry stood back watching the exchange with barely contained mirth.

Severus looked the pleading child up and down as if examining him, then seemed to come to a conclusion. "Parker, if you come you must behave yourself, and…" Severus waited a moment, "carry _all _of Mister Potter's things."

"What?! No!" Parker objected.

"Then I suppose we will just have to leave you here, alone."

Parker seemed to be at a loss for words, but then Harry spoke up, not wanting to leave Parker here in the hands of the bullies playing outside. "I'll carry most of my stuff Professor, I don't mind. Can he still come?" he asked.

Severus looked at Harry then back at Parker and sighed. "I don't see why not." Parker jumped and pulled Harry _and Severus_ into a big hug. "Thank you!" he exclaimed squeezing them a little tighter.

"Parks! Let…go…can't…breathe!" Harry gasped. Parker immediately let go of both of them, saying, "Oops! Sorry!" then he seemed to remember that he was still in his nightshirt he ran back up the stairs to his and Harry's room yelling behind him "Be right back!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Charring Cross Road <strong>_

_**London**_

_**July 3**__**rd**__** 1991**_

Severus walked slightly faster than Harry just to keep Parker in sight! _'Merlin, that child is fast!'_ Harry, on the other hand, walked slower as if taking in all the sights. Not that Severus could blame him, he had done the exact same thing when first coming to Diagon Alley, mind you, he didn't start staring at his surroundings until he was actually _in_ the alley, but the boy had never been to London before.

When he turned back around he ran straight into Parker who was standing there, apparently waiting for him. He looked up, they were standing in front of the Leaky Cauldron. He looked back down at Parker, something just wasn't making sense…

"Mr. Severus? Are you okay? You seem a little…" Shocked? No, that wasn't the right word. Surprised? No, it wasn't that either. How about 'totally and utterly befuddled'? Yeah, that sounded about right. All Parker had done was stop in front of the shop that had the word 'cauldron' I the name, he figured that it _might _be where they were going. He, of course, did not notice that no one other than him was looking at it, or even noticing its existence.

Harry walked up behind Professor Severus, about to say something when the man beat him to it. "How can you see it?" Severus asked.  
>"See what?" Harry returned. Severus jumped obviously not having noticed Harry was there until just now. Parker looked around Severus to look at Harry. "I agree with Harry, 'see what?'"<br>Severus silently pointed to the pub, still confused.  
>"What about it?" Harry asked. It looked like a normal pub to him, albeit a little shabby and run down, but from what he read, weren't all pubs?<p>

Severus sighed. "Muggles can't see that pub" He gestured to all the people around them who were still walking past the pub and giving it no heed. Harry looked around at the people wondering how they could be so stupid as to miss an entire building. Parker, though, kept looking at Severus' face and asked, "What's a muggle Mr. Severus?"

"A muggle is a non-magical person."

"So... if muggles can't see the pub but _I_ can…" Parker trailed off excitement written all over his face. "That would make me a wizard!" He finished, if a little loud.  
>"Mr. Stephens! Do be quiet! Don't just shout this to the world!" Severus admonished.<p>

"Sorry Mr. Severus I just am having a hard time believing it!" Parker said, grinning from ear to ear.

Harry was watching Parker, beaming. Now Parker would be going to Hogwarts next year and Harry could be a proper big brother and show him around.  
>Severus sighed again and started ushering the boys inside. His last thought as the door closed behind him was, <em>'dear Merlin I hope the Potter's aren't here today.'<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Diagon Alley, London<strong>_

_**July 3**__**rd**__** 1991**_

Harry and Parker were looking around with varying degrees of awe on their faces. Severus smiled slightly at the two of them, but not quite enough to be seen by others. He did, after all, have a reputation to uphold. He dragged the two boys off to Gringotts bank.

He marched them right up the stairs of the bank and was about to open the door when Harry called for him to stop. "Wait! There is writing on the door. I'd like to read it if you don't mind…" Parker nodded in agreement.  
>Severus backed up a little so that the boys could read the words.<p>

_Enter, stranger, but take heed__  
><em>_Of what awaits the sin of greed,__  
><em>_For those who take, but do not earn,__  
><em>_Must pay most dearly in their turn.__  
><em>_So if you seek beneath our floors__  
><em>_A treasure that was never yours,__  
><em>_Thief, you have been warned, beware__  
><em>_Of finding more than treasure there._

Parker was the first to speak up, "Has anyone ever broken into Gringotts before Mr. Severus?"

Severus thought for a moment then said, "Not recently that I know of, maybe sometime last century. But as far as I know none have ever succeeded." Parker looked thoughtful and Harry looked impressed. Severus took this moment to open the doors. "Come along boys. I have to go and get the gold for Harry's supplies." The boys nodded and followed him in. Both were looking at the goblins a bit warily.

Severus fingered the note that Lily had given him the other day for Harry's supplies, Potter (James) hadn't wanted to give him a key so they settled for a bank note. The goblins would take him down there and the _goblins_ would get the right amount of gold out. Potter still didn't trust him (Severus) in the vault. Lily did.

Severus told the boys to stay there and wait for him. Then he followed the goblin that would take him down to the Potter vaults.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Outside Flourish &amp; Botts Bookshop<strong>_

When Severus had come back from the vaults he found the boys hiding behind one of the marble poles in the lobby glaring at one of the goblins, who in turn had been string back.

Once they got outside the bank and down into the crowds of the alley he turned on Harry. "What. Happened?"  
>Harry glared back in the direction of the bank. "Nothing I couldn't handle." He answered. "Sir." He added on, as if just remembering it.<br>Severus shook his head and sighed, while turning to Parker. "Do I want to know?"

Parker shook his head and said, "Nope, Mister Severus. You really don't."

Severus looked down at the list of books. He decided to stick with what he knew. "Boys, we are going to the Apothecary."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Outside of Ollivander's <strong>_

"'Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.'" Harry read off the sign. "So this is where I get my wand?!" Severus nodded at the boy.  
>"YES!" Both boys said together.<p>

"Mr. Parker, why are you so happy?"

"Because I get to see what it's gonna be like for me next year!" He replied eyes alight with barely withheld excitment. Both Severus and Harry rolled their eyes simultaneously. Harry then grabbed Parker by the shoulders and led him inside, laughing while saying, "Calm down you silly rascal!"

Once the two of them had gotten Parker to calm down and sit in the chair in the front of the shop, Harry ran up to the counter and rand the bell. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

All three of them jumped (Though for Severus it was less noticeable) when a slight bang came from the shelf of wands to the right.  
>Harry looked up into the silvery eyes of Ollivander. "Ah, Mister Harry Potter. I remember your parents when they got their first wands. Your mother had the same awed look on her face as you currently hold upon yours. Willow, 10 14', swishy if I recall correctly, perfect for charms work."  
>Harry blinked owlishly up at Ollivander, then the man turned towards Severus. "And Severus, Mahogany, Dragon Heart string, 8 ½', rather flexible." Severus nodded at the man.<p>

Ollivander looked at Parker. "Mr. Parker." He said, "I remember your mother coming in her for her wand."  
>Parker's eyes lit up. "Really. Sir?"<br>"Oh yes. Oak, Unicorn hair, 9 inches. You take after her more than your father." The elder man turned back to Harry, leaving a beaming Parker.

"Mister Potter, which is your wand arm?" He asked, letting go of a small tape measure that zoomed towards Harry. "Err, I'm right handed." Ollivander nodded and walked back over to the shelves.

_**30 minutes later**_

Ollivander had gotten steadily more excited over the last thirty minutes and now he was walking around with a grin on his face. Severus walked up to Harry and whispered, "He likes a challenge." In his ear.

Ollivander came back holding a box. "Holly and Phoenix feather, Eleven inches." He handed it to Harry. As soon as the wand touched his skin a warm feeling shot up his arm and a slight breeze ran through the shop. Harry smiled and looked back up at Ollivander who was muttering, "Curious, very curious."  
>Harry looked confused and asked, "Sorry, sir, but what's curious?"<br>Ollivander looked over at Severus and Parker, Severus was quietly reprimanding Parker for breaking the chair he was supposed to be sitting on.

The man's silver gaze turned back to Harry. "Mister Potter, I remember every single wand I have ever sold. It just so happens that the phoenix who's tail feather resides in your wand, gave another feather—just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother, yes, its brother gave you that scar." The man brushed aside the hair that was covering the small lightning bolt scar.  
>Harry touched the scar himself. He had always thought it came from and accident when he was younger, maybe even the one that killed his parents, but once he found out about magic he didn't think that a wizard would do this to him, would they?<p>

Just then Severus turned back to face Ollivander and Harry. "Are we done?" he asked them. Ollivander nodded and told Severus the amount for the wand and Severus counted it out. "Here." Said Severus as he whisked the boys out of the shop.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flourish &amp; Botts Bookshop<strong>_

Severus led the boys into the bookshop and went straight up to the counter. "I need one set of First year books please." The man behind the counter nodded and brought back a bundle tied with a ribbon. "Thank you." He looked down at the boys. "Now both of you run and find _one_ book that interests you."  
>Parker smiled and ran off immediately, but Harry stayed behind and tugged on Severus' robes once. "Mr. Severus? You are a Professor. Right?" Severus nodded and the boy continued, "Well since you are, what subject do you teach?"<p>

"I teach potions." He replied, Harry nodded and walked further into the shop.

A little while later Parker came back lugging the giant "Hogwarts, A History" he put it up on the counter next to Harry's schoolbooks and started to tell Severus all about it. "So, you see, this way when I go with Harry next year I will know everything about Hogwarts!" The boy finished with a smile. Severus smiled and nodded, silently hoping Harry would come back soon.  
>About five minutes later Harry came back and put a book on the counter. Severus looked at the title and smiled. It was a potions book.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Outside Flourish &amp; Botts<strong>_

Once he had managed to pay for the books and drag the boys back outside, Severus stopped for a moment to collect his thoughts. At least he _was_ until a shout interrupted him. "Parker! Come back!"  
>Severus mentally sighed, Parker had run off again. He opened his eyes to see Parker running off towards Quality Quidditch Supplies. <em>'The child doesn't even know what that stupid sport IS and he is already drawn towards it…' <em>He thought. He marched off after the boys.

Parker ran up to the window of the shop and looked at the broom inside it. _'a real _flying_ broom! Wow!' _he thought, and smiled. Harry caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder, effectively turning him away from the broom. "Parks! You need to stop running off like that!" said the older boy.

"But Harry! Look! It's a _flying_ broom!"

Harry glanced up at the broom and seemed a little impressed. "Yes, but you could have told us where you were going!"

"Sorry…"

Severus walked up behind Harry. Then he saw the other boys that were drooling over the Nimbus 2000. "Matthews! McDougal! Docherty! Stop drooling over a broom and get back to your shopping." The three boys jumped when their names were called, nodded and said, "Yes Professor Snape." Then ran off.

Severus turned to his small charges. "Come on. We have one more stop."

"We do?" They chorused.

"Of course. You _do _want an owl, don't you?"

Harry nodded and ran to catch up with his Professor.

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><p><em><strong>Eeylops Owl Emporium <strong>_

Once inside the boys split up to look for the perfect owl for Harry. Occasionally Parker would call out "This one?" and Harry would answer, "No, not that one."

After fifteen or so minutes of the boys looking they both stopped in front of a snowy white owl and said "This one."

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><p><em><strong>Surrey Charity Orphanage<strong>_

_**July 3**__**rd,**__** evening, 1991**_

When the boys came back from their shopping trip Parker was carrying a cauldron with some books inside it, Harry was carrying a long stick and dragging a trunk behind him up the stairs. "Um… Hello, boys!"  
>They both turned back around and said, "Hello Matron." Then continued up the stairs.<p>

The door opened once more admitting Severus who was carrying—is that an owl? "Hello Madame Charlotte." He said to the gaping Matron.

"Is that an owl?"

"Yes mam it is." Severus said to her then yelled, "Come get your owl Harry!" to Harry. Harry ran back down the stairs, hugged Severus and whispered, "Thank you so much!" Then he grabbed his owl and ran back up the stairs.  
>Matron turned to look at Severus. "Thank you for everything you have done." She smiled. "The boys seem to like you."<p>

Severus smiled back, "Well, let's keep that between us, I have a reputation to uphold."

"Sure you do." Matron answered, laughing.

"Be sure to tell Harry I will see him at Hogwarts. But I really must be going."

"Oh yes of course! Goodbye Mr. Snape."

"Goodbye Madame Charlotte."

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><p><em><strong>Twenty Minutes Later<strong>_

_**Surrey Charity Orphanage**_

Matron was knocking on all the doors telling the children that it was lights out. When she reached Parker and Harry's room the light was still on and she could hear Harry talking.

"So you have come to learn about our majestic school, welcome, dear Reader, to Hogwarts, A History."

She smiled and walked back down the stairs. She'd come back and tell them to go to bed in an hour.

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><p><strong>AN: Yes, I kept the same wand and owl. It makes sense. ALSO! Ollivander DOES know he could tell from the energy the scar was emitting which wand (And Person) it came from. So the total people who know HARRY is the boy-who-lived is up to two! I am not counting Harry. I hope you all liked the chapter i really do.<br>**

**REVIEW REPLIES!**

_**geetac: Thanks! I hope you liked this one!  
><strong>_

_**Kairan1979: Yeah I agree I don't like those types of stories either. I hope I answered your questions in the PM but if you have anymore just PM back or put it in a review. :) thanks again!**_

_**Extended Experiance: Hi again! :) I'm glad you liked it and hope you liked this one too!**_

_**charm13insomnia: I thought so. There is more interaction between Harry& Severus here. **_

_**TheSapphireGoddess: Lily was lied to through the reports(FALSE) That and Severus thinks that she should know where her child is. (He probably wants her to go yell at Dumbles too.) This was at all confusing just tell me and i will try and explain it another way. **_

_**Alice: Your reviews always make me think about what I'm writing. Thanks!  
>Anyway , I am really glad you like Charlotte and Parker.<br>-As I said up top, the Potter's will not be forgiven easily but they won't exactly be given hell. TRUST ME though Harry will not just accept them. -Severus will be reacting, Oh will he be reacting!  
>-Harry doesn't know his parents are alive yet. Sev hasn't told him yet, and I am thinking that Charlotte doesn't quite believe they're alive yet. -He is not going to take it lightly when he finds out. Not as hard as if he stayed at the Dursleys but he will take it really hard. I mean, what eleven year old wants to hear that his parents didn't want him?! (that is probably how he is going to interpret this.) <strong>_

_**I HOPE I ANSWERED EVERYONE'S REVIEW SO THAT IT IS NOT CONFUSING!  
><strong>_

**I am really Happy right now! I just got invited to the spring formal by the boy I like! YAY! :):):):):)  
><strong>

**I AM TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT PAIRING TO DO AND I WOULD _LOVE_ YOU'RE OPINIONS! **

**See you all next chapter! **

**NINJA OUT!**


	5. The Potter's Story

**AN: Hello! Sorry if it seems bad, I had to write it today cause of that stupid Ice storm that came over the weekend. Anyway, I'm back in action so the next chapter will be back to Harry. I hope you like it. If you don't tell me what you didn't like. :) **

**Hope you Enjoy! **

**I DISCLAIM!**

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><p><strong>The Potter's Story<strong>

_**Potter Home, Godric's Hollow **_

_**Nov 5**__**th**__** 1981**_

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black had been charged by Lily with watching Alex while she and James took Harry somewhere. So far, they had only lost him twice.

"MOONY!"

Scratch that, three times.

"What _is _it Sirius?" Remus asked the frantic man.

"I lost him." Sirius answered.

"What? Again? I _told_ you to watch him!"

"You know, we were _both _charged with watching the little bugger."

"I don't think that counts when one of us has to use the loo."

"Yes but—" He cut himself off by bending over and picking up Alex. "My question is, why we couldn't have gotten to watch the quiet one. You know, the one that _stays still?!"_ Sirius handed Alex over to Remus, who rolled his eyes.  
>"You are being overdramatic Padfoot."<p>

The man was about to retort when the door could be heard opening, so he ran to meet the newcomers in the entrance hall.

"Hey, Prongs! Lily." James waved 'hi' and Lily looked at him almost blankly. Now on any other person this might not be odd, but on the firey red head this was an unheard of occurrence. She looked down at her hands then back up at Sirius.

"Er, uh, where's Harry?"

She burst into tears.  
>"What'd I do?"<p>

She cried harder. Remus walked in holding Alex. Lily saw the baby and started bawling. James kneeled down to comfort her. "I-I-I just c-can't believe we j-just left him!" Lily wailed.

"Left who?" Sirius inqured. "Shush Sirius!" Remus admonished.

"Lily, darling, it was for the best, to protect him—" James tried.

"Protect him?! I would have given my _life_ for him! Isn't that protection enough?"

"Lily, listen—"

"No, James, You listen. He should be able to grow up knowing his parents, his-" She looked at Alex, "His _brother_! I…" She trailed off. "We never should have given him to Al—No, Dumbledore. I am going to get my son back!" She stood up and marched back out the door.

James stood up and looked at his friends. Remus was looking at him with what he could only describe as pity, and Sirius, Sirius was looking at him with severe… disappointment? No, betrayal. "Sirius…"

"No James. I don't want to hear it." The man picked up his coat. "I'm going to help Lily find my Godson." He walked out the door.

James stared at the door for a few minutes before collapsing in a heap on the floor. Remus sat down next to him and handed Alex to him. James looked into his son's eyes that were so much like his, then he looked at the rest of the child's face, "You are already looking a lot like your mum." He smiled. Alex grabbed his finger, trying to put it in his mouth.

Remus stood up and looked back down at James. "And Harry was starting to look like _you_."  
>James stared back into the eyes of his friend and made a decision. He stood up and handed Alex to Remus. "You wouldn't mind watching Alex just a little bit longer would you?"<p>

"No I don't mind."

"Thanks." James whirled around and went through the door.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Potter home, Godric's Hollow<strong>_

_**July 1**__**st**__** 1991**_

Lily Potter was happier than she had been since her sons were born. She had just accepted a job at Hogwarts (apparently they had just fired Binns) and this year she was going to be teaching her sons. Both of them. _Together. _

She was distracted from her happy thoughts by a knock at the door.  
>'<em>Who could that be?' <em>she thought, as she went to open the door. She opened the front door to reveal Severus Snape, in all his glory. "Severus!" Lily exclaimed. "How nice to see you! Come right in."

She led him into the sitting room. "What brings you here today, Sev?"

"Did Albus inform you that there would be someone sent to fetch Harry?" He inquired.

"Yes, I do recall Minerva mentioning it." Well, actually Albus Dummbledore told Minerva to tell her but, Eh, to heck with the details.

"Yes well, that someone is me." Lily perked up when he said that.

"Surely you can tell me what muggles he is living with?" Severus seemed confused by that statement. "Yes, Sev, I know he's with muggles." '_I've already checked the entire British wizarding population. Where else would he be?'_ She thought to herself.  
>Severus had apparently taken that moment to recompose himself, "Lily, you know I can't do that… I'm sorry."<p>

"Yes, yes… I know. It was worth a try though." Then she remembered something. "Oh yes! Sev, we have a bank slip from Gringotts for his supplies." She handed him the slip of paper.

"Thank you, Lily. I should go." She nodded and her long-time friend showed himself out.

She sunk into the chair near the fireplace. Her baby was living with muggles, and probably hated her. This thought had just occurred to her. "I mean, I know he has every right to hate me after what I did to him and he may probably never forgive me… but I could always try to explain things to him, couldn't I?' She said out loud to herself. "Harry, wherever you are, please know that I still love you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Potter Home, Godric's Hollow<strong>_

_**July 4**__**th**__** 1991**_

Lily was fuming. She had just read a letter from Severus that said things that, though she had suspected them, never hoped to be true.

The _nerve_ of that man! Placing her son with her sister of all places! At least he was sent away from there, even if it was to an orphanage. And above all, Harry thought she and James were dead! If the Headmaster of Hogwarts thought she was mad at him before, he was in for it this time.

Just then James and Alex came back in from playing Quidditch. "Dad, why can't you get it in your head that Quidditch just isn't for me?"

"Nonsense! Quidditch is for everyone!"

Alex sighed and walked into the kitchen to see his mother looking angrier than he had ever seen her. He looked around to see if Uncle Padfoot was around, 'cause he was usually the one getting Alex's mum angry. "Dad," He said, "Why is Mum angry?" His Dad shrugged and walked over to Mum.  
>"Lils, are you okay?"<p>

"Am I okay?!" She shoved a letter at James. "Read that, then ask me again."

James read over the letter then looked back up at his wife, seemingly speechless.

"We are going to Hogwarts." She picked up her handbag and left through the kitchen door.

"Lily!" James turned to his son. "We'll be back in an hour or so, okay?"

"Yeah dad, go catch up with mum."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Headmaster's Office<strong>_

_**Hogwarts**_

_**July 4**__**th**__** 1991**_

Albus Dumbledore thought that he was prepared for everything. To say that he was wrong would be an understatement. He was extremely unprepared for a fuming Lily Potter coming up the stairs to his office.

"HOW _DARE_ YOU?!" She screeched.

"Whatever are you talking about Lily?"

"Don't you 'Lily' me _Headmaster_."

Now Dumbledore was intrigued, what did she think she found out?

"I know where you hid my son, and I am _not _happy!"

Oh. That wasn't good.

"Hid him? My dear, I have given you monthly reports on him."

"Oh yeah, right, _sure. _You sent him to my _sister!_ Surely you know what her husband is like?! Those reports were _false. Untrustworthy. Total bullshit!"_

Just then James ran in to see Lily breathing hard and Dumbledore leaning back in his chair. "Uh, Hello Headmaster…"

The old man nodded in greeting. "James."

That was when Lily apparently managed to catch her breath.

"Not to mention, you told him we are _dead!_ What child deserves to grow up believing their family is dead?!"

"It was for the bes—"

"_For the best?! _Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me! Did you even know that my sister dumped him in an _orphanage?!"_

James was surprised to see Dumbledore looking genuinely shocked to hear that.

"Lily, I assure you that I had no idea that—"

"Obviously," James took that moment to intervene. "Because you weren't actually checking up on him like we agreed."

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Great Hall <strong>_

_**Hogwarts**_

_**Sep 1**__**st**__** 1991**_

They had spent an hour or more yelling at Dumbledore, well Lily yelled and James occasionally intervened. Now she was sitting in the Great Hall at Hogwarts awaiting the first year students to walk through the door. Once they did she immediately found Alex amongst them. She kept looking until she saw a child with black hair, glasses, and green eyes that she was so used to seeing in the mirror.

_Harry._

Dear Merlin let him forgive me someday…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So no, the Potters aren't evil and they didn't spoil Alex. I have tried to keep them In character as possible.<strong>

**And let me just put this out there, I LOVE THE POTTERS! I just love their characters and I am trying to keep them as close to what JK wrote them as. :)**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**Mizuni15:****I hope you liked it. I didn't want it to be very long but I did leave some to your imagination so... :) **

**NamesLiveOn:****Yeah thanks for your input! Parker probably wont be paired with anyone just yet. He has to mature a bit first.**

**Kairan1979**: **Yeah, that's sort of what I was going for. I hope you liked it!**

**charm13insomnia: **** I hope you liked it! You can imagine what else she said. :D **

**Extended Experience: **** Yeah he is! He's A lot like my brother at ten. I'm glad you like it!  
><strong>

**Harry1675:****Yeah I thought that'd be a nice twist. And Hey, I'd be excited to see anything that has to do with magic if i just found out i was a wizard. Wouldn't you?****:)**

**Alice:**** Don't worry he is going to mature. I'm glad you like Charlotte still. (Maybe...) I hope I explained that bit in this chapter. But Harry is still gonna be mad. **

**I Will See you all next week! I hope you all survive the cold weather we are having! (You lucky people who live in Florida!)**

**NINJA OUT!**


	6. A Train Full Of Surprises!

**AN: Hello again! Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, HOGWARTS! I'm so Happy that Spring finally decided to show its face! it's like, 70 degrees here where I live. YAY! So, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: ME NO OWN. DARN.**

* * *

><p><strong>A Train full of Surprises<strong>

_**Surry Charity Orphanage **_

_**Sep 1**__**st**__** 1991**_

Harry and Parker had been running around packing, (Harry) or unpacking. (Parker) Parker had decided that Harry can't go. Why? Because he doesn't want to be stuck in the orphanage all alone.

"Parks, you're not going to be alone."

"I'm not?" asked Parker, in a disbelieving tone.

"Nope. The Matron will be here to keep you company."

Parker frowned. He didn't want the matron. He _wanted _Harry, his brother. "That's not the same…" He muttered, but Harry had already gone back to packing and didn't hear him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Platform 9 ¾ <strong>_

_**Kings Cross Station**_

_**Sep 1**__**st**__** 1991**_

Severus had told them how to get onto the platform. That didn't turn out to be a problem. It was saying goodbye to Parker, now, _that_ was the problem.  
>Parker was currently hugging Harry and refusing to let go. "Come on Parker! I'll see you at Christmas! And I'll send you load of letters! It'll be like I never left!"<p>

Parker looked up at Harry. "Really? You promise to tell me about _everything_?"

"Down to what the teachers are wearing that day." Harry agreed.

Matron smiled down at the two as Parker finally let go of Harry. "Now Harry dear, here is your trunk. And hedge-wig was it?" Harry laughed. She had been purposely getting his owl's name wrong since he told it to her. "Don't be silly Matron! Her name is Hedwig!"

"That's what I said isn't it?"

The boys laughed until Harry turned to Parker and gave him one last hug. "Be good for Matron. You hear me?"

"I am always an angel, what are you talking about?" Harry laughed and turned to Matron and gave her a hug as well. "Have fun Harry dear."

"I'll try matron."

Harry drug his trunk up to the train and turned around once to wave.

* * *

><p>Harry walked for a few minutes down the train to find a relatively quiet compartment. When he did he looked inside and found a boy sitting there and reading. "Erm… excuse me but, is it okay if I sit here?"<br>The boy looked up at Harry and nodded, then went back to his book. Harry nodded his head in thanks and then started trying to put the trunk up above his seat.

"Do you want some help with that?" Harry jumped and the trunk came tumbling down again. He turned to see the boy who was reading before looking up at him.  
>"Uh, if you wouldn't mind…" Harry replied, a little sheepishly. The boy stood up and picked up one end of the trunk. Harry smiled and picker up the other.<p>

Together the boys got the trunk up there pretty easily. The boy sat back down. "I'm Terry Boot. What's your name?"

"I'm Harry Potter."

"Nice to meet you."

"You too." Harry got into his bag and pulled out his potions book.

* * *

><p>They sat there reading for about half an hour, they probably could have gone longer but another boy barged into the compartment, slammed the door shut, and closed the blinds.<p>

Terry had looked up when the door opened, "Great, _you_ again." he said.  
>The new boy looked over to Terry and glared, then he looked back at the door as if debating to go back out there or not. He must have decided that staying in the compartment was the lesser evil as he sat down next to Harry and introduced himself, "I'm Draco Malfoy." He extended his hand for Harry to shake.<p>

Harry smiled and shook it, "I'm Harry Potter."

"Really? Interesting."

"What's interesting about my name?" Harry asked.

"He's probably just trying to figure out how to make an insult out of it."

Draco glared at Terry. "Shut it Boot."

"Er… do you two know each other?" Harry inquired.

"Sadly." They both said at the same time, then glared at each other again.

"Okay then." Harry nodded. "Why do you to hate each other?"

Terry said, "I don't want to talk about it" at the same time Draco said, "He's a stinking mudblood that's why."

"What's a mudblood?" Harry asked as Terry began glaring at Draco again.

"It's a word aptly describing those of a lesser status born to muggles. I am a pureblood."

"No, you're a bigot who believes every word that comes out of his stupid father's mouth." Said Terry.

Draco stood up in anger. "What did you call me?"

"A bigot. It's true isn't it?"

"Why you little—" Harry cut Draco off.

"SO, if your parents are wizards, Draco, you must know everything about Hogwarts." Harry said. Draco sat back down and shrugged. "I don't know _everything_ but I do know quite a lot. Like which house is the best." Terry rolled his eyes and thought, _'here we go again'_  
>"Really?" Harry asked, "Which one?"<p>

"Slytherin of course."

"Oh. Can you explain it?"

"What?"

"I mean, what characteristics you need to get into the house."

"Oh, that's easy. Ravenclaw, smart. Gryffindor, Idiotically rash. Hufflepuff, stupid. And Slytherin, Pureblood." Draco smiled at Harry, who in turn looked confused.

"No, no, no." Terry said.

"What? Did _you_ just contradict _me_?!"

"Yep." Terry stated. He turned to Harry, "You see Harry, it's not that simple. I read the definitions of the houses somewhere…" he looked through his bag until he found the right book. "Ah ha! Here it is. It says here that 'Each of the Houses are different in their own right. Yet all are _equal_.'" He stressed that last word at Draco, who, in turn, ignored him.  
>"What are the characteristics of them though?" Harry questioned.<p>

"One second…" Terry flipped a few pages till he found the right one. "Here it is.  
>'Hufflepuff: Hufflepuff is a greatly underestimated house, by most it is thought to be the worst house simply because 'Puffs are not going to backstab you the second thy get a chance. (Please note my sarcasm) The noble house of Hufflepuff will admit those who are just, and loyal, those not afraid to get their hands dirty. Famous Hufflepuffs include—' oh wow, I can't say those names. Anyway, Malfoy, Hufflepuffs aren't necessarily stupid, they are just different."<p>

Draco ignored him again.

"Humph fine. Be that way." Terry continued reading, "'Gryffindor: Some people believe that Gryffindor is the '_light'_ house. That's not true, while most Griffindor's do not defect to the dark side, seeing as it is against most of their natures, it is possible to find some who have defected, such as Peter Pettigrew. The courageous house of Gryffindor accepts those who have the courage and bravery to stand up to what opposes them. Famous Gryffindor's include, Albus Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel (Creator of the Philosopher's stone) ' See Malfoy, Not 'Idiotically rash' as you so eloquently put it."

"Shut it Boot"

"No I won't, so, where was I? Oh yeah, 'Ravenclaw: Not all Ravenclaws are bookworms, or necessarily top of their class. They could be witty, or talented in ways other than those taught at Hogwarts. Those of the noble house of Ravenclaw are sharp minded, witty, and _usually_ the top of their class. Famous Ravenclaws include, Garrett Ollivander and Tina Denall (creator of the modern broomstick)' Hey Malfoy, a _Ravenclaw_ created the modern broomstick!"

"_Shut. It._ Boot!"

"Shush! Draco I'm trying to listen!" Harry interrupted.

"Thank you Harry. So, Ah Draco you'll like the next one. 'Slytherin: Slytherin is, today, thought of as the _Dark House _or a house only purebloods can get into. Those views are, in my opinion, wrong. The Slytherin house is not dark simply because a few dark wizards have come from it, plenty of good wizards have come from there as well. Slytherin wizards are cunning, sly, and yes, sometimes deceitful, but aren't we all? Famous Slytherins include, Voldemort, Severus Snape (famous potions master and current Professor at Hogwarts), and last but most definitely not least, Merlin.'" Terry finished and stopped for a breath, and both Harry _and_ Draco were looking at him and paying attention.

"So _Merlin_ was a Slytherin?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, apparently he visited the school once and asked to put the hat on." Terry replied. "So Harry what house do you think you'll be in now?"

"Uh, Hufflepuff or Slytherin."

"Really?" Draco questioned "I still think I'll be a Slytherin but if I had to go somewhere else I would prefer Ravenclaw."

Terry nodded his head. "As much as I dislike you Malfoy, I'd have to say the same." Just after he said that the trolley lady came.

For an hour or so after that the three of them talked, with Terry and Draco occasionally getting in an argument and Harry changing the subject to make them stop. In fact, Harry had just done that when the door banged open again, but this time it was a bushy haired girl at the door. "Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."  
>She turned to leave once all the boys had said no, only stopping to say over her shoulder, "You three really ought to change into your robes, I imagine we'll be there soon."<p>

Harry jumped up to get his robes out of his trunk, when Draco said, "Merlin, who'd be stupid enough to bring a _toad?_ I mean they are disgusting creatur—oomph!"

"Oh sorry, I absolutely did _not_ mean to drop my _heaviest_ book on you. Nope, not in the _slightest_…"

Draco glared up at Terry but stopped when he heard laughing. Both boys looked over at Harry who was chuckling. Then Draco started laughing too. Pretty soon all three of them were laughing, hard. They only stopped when a speaker called out, "_We will be arriving at Hogwarts in ten minutes, please have your robes on and leave all your belongings on the train, as they will be brought up separately."_

All three boys jumped to action, seeing as they still didn't have their robes on. Once done, Harry sat down and smiled. He had friends. He couldn't wait to tell Parker and Matron.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There you have it. Draco and Terry are finally in the story. Next we have the sorting. I hope you all didn't get confused by my descriptions of the houses. I wanted Harry to know what he was getting into. And the idea of Merlin being a Slytherin came to me after watching an episode of BBC's Merlin. <strong>

**Review Replies!  
><strong>

**Roses Wrath:****I'm So glad!**

**Christian Chick: ****Yeah, I had been looking for one, so I thought, "Why not Write one?" So that was how this story came into existence. I am so glad you love it!  
><strong>

**Alice:****It had nothing to do with Charlotte. You said something about her in your last review. Yes I wanted that to be an immportant part of the story. SHHHH! Not telling. that's next chapter! James and Sirius made up, but there friendship is not the same as it used to be. You'll see more of him in later chapters. **

**Kairian1979: ****No problem!**

**ww1990ww: ****O.O SHHHHH! No spilling my secrets! :) You are a really good guesser. I'm not quite sure yet if that is going to happen but it is a possibility. **

**Extended Experience: ****I agree!  
><strong>

**Oh yeah,**

**IMPORTANT! SIRIUS IS _ONLY_ HARRY'S GODFATHER, REMUS IS ALEX'S! **

**NINJA OUT! *runs off to finish next chapter because she got behind***


	7. The Sorting

**AN: Hello again! I'm super excited for spring coming this week! But, of course the weather this past Sunday decided to be stubborn and it SNOWED i am ready for summer... **

**ANYWAY, I hope you all like this chapter! Sorry It's so short, i just figured it was a nice place to end it. **

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><p><strong>The Sorting<strong>

_**Hogsmeade Station**_

_**Sep 1**__**st**__** 1991 **_

Once the train stopped, the three boys got out and walked onto the platform, which was extremely busy and filled with students trying to rush to the carriages.

"So, do we follow them?" Harry asked pointing towards the older students.

"No, we are supposed to—" Draco was cut off by a large shout.

"Firs' years! Firs' years with me!" The three boys turned towards the voice. Harry's eyes widened. "Is he a _giant?_" he asked Draco.

"Dunno, probably. My father told me he's a servant of some sort."

"Which means he's probably not." Said Terry.

"Shut up Boot!"

"You know, I wouldn't want to be left behind by the giant man, so we should probably get moving." Harry interrupted.

The other two nodded and the three set off after the giant man.

* * *

><p>Once the man had told them to get into the boats Draco immediately rejected that idea. "No. I refuse to get into one of those things! Who knows what sort of shape they could be in!?"<p>

"Come on Draco! This is the only way to get to the school!" Harry argued

"No! There are carriages…"

"They all left a while ago, Malfoy." Terry said.

"Come on you three! Stop lollygagging!" Said the giant man. Harry and Terry looked at each other and nodded. They both grabbed one of Draco's arms and dragged him to a boat. "HEY! LEMME GO!"

They got into the last open boat and sat Draco down while still holding his arms. They only let go once the boats started moving towards the school.  
>"That was unnecessary. I would have come." Draco protested.<p>

"No, you probably wouldn't have."

"Shut up Boot!"

"Is that the only retort you have?!"

"No…"

"_Sure._"

"Shu—Nevermind…"

"Told you."

Harry thought this seemed like a good place to intervene, "Hey guys, the giant man just said we'll be able to see the school in just a moment!"  
>Both arguing boys looked up in anticipation.<p>

A gasp could be heard coming from nearly every mouth as soon as they could see the school.

"That, is _not_ a _school._" Terry said, awestruck.

"Then what is it?" Asked Draco.

"A _castle!_" Harry answered.

"Obviously…" Draco ignored Harry's hurt look and Terry's glare in favor of leaning over the boat and trailing his hand in the water.

They heard a small shriek from the boat closest to them. "What was that?" Asked a red-headed girl.

"It was probably just the giant squid. I read about it." The bushy haired girl from earlier answered.  
>Draco rolled his eyes. He knew that the squid was only a myth made up by the teachers, His father had told him so. "Draco, she's right. There <em>is<em> supposed to be a squid in the lake. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Harry said, "So you might want to take your hand out of the water."

"'Supposed' is the operative word there, Harry. The squid is nothing more than…" He trailed off because he felt something brush his hand in the water.

"Than what, exactly? Eh, Malfoy?"

Draco collected his nerve again and retorted. "I was _saying_—" He was cut off before he could say anymore by a tight tug on his wrist pulling him out of the boat and into the water. "Ahh! Help! The squid has me!" He yelled.

The boat the giant man was in turned around and he picked Draco up out of the water mumbling, "Happens every year…"

* * *

><p>"…And I honestly can't believe that you didn't warn me!" Draco finished his whispered rant as the other students were conversing with the ghosts.<p>

"Well—"

"No, Boot, I can believe that _you_ didn't warn me, but _Harry?!_"

Harry, who had been looking at the ghosts, jumped and looked back at Draco. "What?"

"Why didn't you warn me?"

Just at that moment Professor McGonagall came in and began to usher them out.

Harry looked Draco in the eye and said. "Because you needed to learn something." Then he walked ahead of them and got caught in the crowd of their school mates.

"You know, Malfoy. I think you just got your only friend mad at you. Not your best move." Terry said as he too walked ahead and merged into the crowd.

…

Harry may have still been mad at Draco but that didn't stop him from marveling at the beauty of the Great Hall.

Once all the first years had gotten into the hall Professor McGonagall placed a hat on a stool that was sitting in front of the teacher's table. Harry wondered for a moment why it was up there, until it started to sing.

_Oh you may not think me pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The hall burst into applause as soon as the hat finished singing. Then McGonagall came up and started reading off names.

"Abbot, Hannah"

The Professor put the hat on the girl's head, and soon enough it called out, "HUFFLEPUF"

Next up was Terry, "Boot, Terry"

Terry went up to the hat and McGonagall put it on his head.

_**Ah…**._

Terry jumped. '_You __talk?!'_

**_Of course I talk! What sense would it make for me to sing if I couldn't talk?_**

'_None I suppose…'_

**_Obviously, now on to sorting you…_**

The Hat was silent for a long time.

**_Now I see two places you could go, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Merlin only knows you have the cunning for it._**

'_Wait, so I get to choose?'_

_**No, but you can tell me which one you prefer.**_

'_Slytherin'_

**_REALLY? I was not expecting that. You remind me of another muggle raised student I once sorted. Hmmmm well then, better be, _"SLYTHERIN!"**

Draco looked up startled when the hat called out 'Slytherin' as Terry's house. Terry wasn't supposed to be in Slytherin! He's _muggleborn! _H-he can't be allowed to… can he?

Soon enough it was Draco's turn to be sorted.

"Malfoy, Draco"

**_Ah, another Malfoy eh?_**

'_Yes.'_

**_Well I suppose you want to go to Slytherin then?_**

'_Is there anywhere else?'_

**_You would do well in Ravenclaw._**

'_So?'_

_Actually Ravenclaw almost seems a better fit…_

**'_NO! It has to be Slytherin! Please-please, just trust me on this.'_**

**_Alright, if you say so… _"SLYTHERIN!"**

Draco sighed in relief and went to sit at the Slytherin table.

Harry watched Draco go off towards the Slytherin table and start a glaring contest with Terry. He sighed, typical.

As he was waiting for his name to be called (there were a lot of people with "P" last names) he noticed three of the professors staring at him. One was Severus, but he quickly looked away as soon as Harry made eye contact. The second, was a red-headed lady with green eyes. He didn't know her name. The third had black hair that reached his shoulders and grey eyes. The last two seemed familiar, but he couldn't place their names.

He heard his name, "Potter" But… wait Alex?!

Potter is a common name, isn't it? What are the chances that he _actually _had a _real_ brother? Did his parents not want him or something? Did they think he was a burden? That-that he wasn't worth it? That—"Potter, Harry"

He barely even noticed that he was walking, he definitely didn't notice the whispers that were running throughout the hall.

"Did she say _Harry Potter_?"

"But I thought he was dead?"

"I heard that he never actually existed."

"Janet, he obviously exists…"

"Oh, right."

**_Mr. Potter? Mr. Potter?! HARRY!_**

'_Huh?'_

**_Hello._**

'_Oh, you must be the sorting hat, Sir.'_

**_I am._**

'_So, you are going to sort me?'_

_**Yes**._

'_Okay then.'_

Harry waited a few moments as the hat assessed him.

**_I believe you would do __well__ in any of the houses…_**

'_I sense a but'_

**_But, I think it would be better if you didn't go to Gryfindor._**

'_Why?'_

**_You'll see. I also think you would excel in Ravenclaw. But you would never have any friends._**

'_Then don't put me there.'_

**_That's what I thought you'd say. In Hufflepuff you would have friends, but that house would not prepare you for what you are to face._**

'_What am I to face?'_

**_You'll see._**

'_Do you say that a lot?'_

**_Yes. I think that Slytherin would suit your best needs in this case… It will certainly help you on your way to greatness, no doubt about that. Are you terribly opposed to this house?_**

'_No not really. Terry said all the houses are equal. And I agree.'_

**_Good. Better be, _"SLYTHERIN!"**

Harry ran to the Slytherin table and sat next to Terry, still a little confused by the sorting hat.

* * *

><p>The feast was good, but Harry barely noticed. He was to busy thinking up outrageous scenarios as to why his parents would leave him, and keep his brother. He was also unnerved by the two professors who's names he didn't know, they just wouldn't stop staring.<br>All in all, the welcoming feast wasn't to welcoming to Harry.

But he didn't notice a certain meddling Headmaster was glaring at him from his place at the teacher's table.

* * *

><p>Albus glared at the child that had single-handedly ruined his plans. By getting rid of the child, his parents were supposed to let me train Alexander to be the perfect weapon against Voldemort, but <em>of course<em> the Potter's blamed Albus for giving their child up. Now they refuse to speak with him. It was Minerva's idea to add Lily Potter to the staff this year, after firing Binns, Albus only agreed because he wanted to keep an eye on the fiery woman. He also added Sirius Black as a dueling instructor for the third years and up. Albus had a feeling that Harry Potter would be a thorn in his side until the day he died.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, they're all in Slytherin. YAY! I actually don't have much to say...<br>**

**Oh wait! The pairings, I've gotten a few for Harry (Fleur, Luna, or Daphne) but so far I have gotten none for any of the other characters. So tell me what you'd like to see. :)**

**Review Replies!**

**Ceti H. Black: ****I hope so!  
><strong>

**Extended Experience:****I know! I hate autocorrect! *Grumbles* Anyway, I'm glad you liked it!**

**Alice:****Yep! No Gryffindor. YAY!**

**Amylou:****I'm really glad you like it, and I hope it keeps living up to your expectations. :)**

**charm13insomnia: ****I agree. **

**J.F.C. ****Thank you! I hope that him being in Slytherin won't put you off the story, I put one of my reasons for not putting him in Hufflepuff in there. I just don't think that Hufflepuff would prepare him easily for what he will do later in life. I have nothing against the house. No, he is not going to react as badly towards Alex, you'll see next chapter. As for the thing about Parker... look for it next chapter as well. :) you gave me good ideas!  
><strong>

**Harry1675: Yeah, as you can see Sirius is at the school, so they'll run into each other sooner or later. ^-^**

**Roses Wrath:****That was my goal, I wanted my readers to see the houses as I see them while writing this. :)**

**Karian1979: ****Yeah he is.  
><span>Hearts Glow (On chapter<span> four) Dumbles wouldn't let them. And He did! I think... Hmm may need to go back and re-read that chapter.**

**WELL, There you have it folks! Have fun! **

**NINJA OUT!**


	8. The First Few Days

**AN: ...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**SEVENTEEN REVIEWS! *faints***

**(Five minutes later)**

**I'm okay! In all Siriusness thank you ALL so much! this is totally awesome! This chapter is dedicated to my 50th reviewer! HeartsGlow! YAY!**

**Also, I may only be having two updates in April because of three things:**

**1) I am doing Camp NaNoWriMo next month so I will be really busy writing my novel.**

**2) I need to writhe a bunch more chapters of this to catch up... I'm only currently up to the next chapter. :(**

**3) Easter! I am traveling for Easter and may not be bringing my trusty computer. I just don't know yet. **

**So I'm not taking the month off, I just may only update twice... that's a little better, right?**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>The First Few Days<strong>

_**Slytherin First year dorms**_

_**Sep 1**__**st**__** 1991**_

"Why didn't you guys tell me?!" Harry said as soon as the prefects would leave them alone.

"Tell you what?" Draco asked, confused.

"That I have a brother! I mean, did his guardians not want me, o-or did they think I wasn't worth it? D-did they hate me? I-I don't understand…"

"Wait, let me get this straight… You didn't know you have a _famous_ brother?" Terry questioned incredulously.

"_Famous?!_ I didn't even know I had a _brother!"_

"WHAT?!" The other boys asked.

"Yeah, I know my parents are dead," Draco and Terry stared at Harry, "But I didn't know I had a brother! How come he got to stay with my aunt but I didn't?" Harry sounded almost heartbroken at this point. "And now he's _famous too?!_ I think I got the short end of the deal." Harry was scowling now.

"Harry, your parents aren't dead." Said Terry.

"Yeah, your mother is teaching here at Hogwarts this year!" Draco agreed.

"You mean the lady with the red hair and green…eyes. Just, like, mine."

"Yes." Draco nodded.

"Then why was I told that they are dead?!" Harry demanded loudly.

Terry held his hands up defensively. "Hey, don't blow up on us. We don't know why any more than you do."

"Wait, Terry, you said my brother was famous, maybe that's why they gave me to an orphanage. They left me to rot…"

"Harry, I seriously doubt that they did _that_."

"Actually it's fairly likely." Draco cut in.

"Not. Helping. Draco."

"Oh, sorry." He didn't sound sorry.

Harry rolled his eyes and laid back on his bed. "Can we focus, please?"

"Sorry, Harry the best way to find out the answers to your questions would be to ask Professor Potter after class."

"When is our first class with her?" Harry asked.

"We haven't gotten our schedules yet Harry. I don't know." Terry answered.

"We get them tomorrow at breakfast." Draco added.

"Oh okay…" Harry started digging around in his trunk, looking for something.  
>"What are you looking for, Harry?" Terry wondered.<p>

"My stationary. I have to write Parker."

"Who's Parker?"

"My brother."

Both of the other boys stared at him again.

"The one I knew about! He's sort of my adopted brother."

"Oh…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Great Hall<strong>_

_**Sep 2**__**nd**__**, 1991**_

_**Breakfast**_

"Here, brats. Your schedules." Said Higgs. To say the least, it was a wonder that he was a Prefect.

"Thanks, Higgs." Said Terry

"So, Boot. What classes do we have today?"

"Can't you read your _own_ schedule?"

"Why? That is what you are here for."

"Ugh, fine." Terry opened up his schedule and studied it. "Nice! We have Transfiguration first thing!"

Draco looked at his schedule and added, "Oh good it's with the Ravenclaws."

"We also have Herbology, Charms, and Astronomy? Shouldn't we do that at night?" Harry wondered.

"Today must be course work, see? We have it again on Wednesday night." Terry replied.

"What do we have tomorrow, Boot?"

"Double period of History and a double period of DADA. Harry, History is what Professor Potter teaches."

Harry nodded. "Okay, When do we have potions?"

"Not till Friday. Why?"

"Just wondering…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Charms Corridor, West Wing<strong>_

Astronomy had been pretty boring. But Harry thought that the Wednesday session would be better.

Transfiguration had been interesting, McGonagall was nice enough, Strict, yeah, but nice. Terry had nearly managed a needle on his fourth try. Harry's got sort of silver and pointy. But Draco got frustrated and his blew up.

"Hey, Malfoy, I think you still have a little soot in your hair." Terry said with a smile.

"Boot, I swear, if you say that one more time I will hex you!"

"Do you even know _how_ to hex me?"

"Alright, I'll go to the library and _learn_ how to hex you. Then hex you."

"At least I have time to hide."

Harry rolled his eyes. They were waiting for the Professor to open the door to Charms class.

"Oi, look! It's a Malfoy with black hair!" Draco turned to see a tall red-head with freckles. '_Weasley,_' Draco thought.

"Weasley. I don't recall letting you join the conversation. And for the last time, THERE. IS. NO SOOT. IN. MY HAIR!"

"Hey, Malfoy, calm down. No need to scream." Said a boy to the right of Weasley (Harry didn't know his first name yet)

"Whatever, Potter…"

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed.

Draco seemed to realize what he said. "Not _you_, Potter, _him_ Potter!" He pointed at the other boy.

"Yeah, me." He said, then turned to Harry. "Nice to finally meet you. I'm Alex." Alex put his hand out to shake, seeming genuinely happy to meet Harry.

Harry, who had been ready to hate him, was surprised at this gesture. "Er, uh, Hi?"

Alex laughed. "Are you going to shake my hand?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Oh sorry." He shook Alex's hand. Harry vaguely noticed Draco glaring at Weasley and Terry talking with the bushy haired girl from the train.

"You know, I've heard quite a lot of baby stories about you, From Mum, Dad, Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius. But that doesn't quite make up for meeting the real thing." Alex smiled.

"Why would they tell stories about me if they didn't want me?"

"'Didn't want you?' What do you mean?" Alex was befuddled.

"They gave me up didn't they?"

"Well, not exactly…"

"Then I was kidnaped?"

"No but—"

"Then how did I end up in an orphanage thinking my parents are dead and not knowing you exist?!"

Alex's eyes widened then he whispered, "Because Albus Dumbledore is a manipulating bastard."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Just then Professor Flitwick opened the door and everyone went inside.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Slytherin Common Room<strong>_

Charms was fairly uneventful, except Flitwick fell off his stack of books he used to stand on as soon as he got to Alex's name. (at that point Harry made a mental note to find out why his brother was famous)

Dinner was also fairly uneventful, unless you call Draco running from Pansy Parkinson eventful.

After dinner Harry, Draco, and Terry were in their common room doing homework. "I don't see why McGonagall has to set so much homework on the first day!"

"I don't know what you are grumbling about Malfoy, I think this essay is going to be fairly interesting." Terry said.

"It is about 'The Dangers of Transfiguration and why Some Advanced Magic Shouldn't be Tried Until it is Taught in a Classroom' that is just a way to make sure she doesn't have any Ravenclaws trying human transfiguration already."

"Yes, but it is kind of fun reading about how these transfigurations have gone wrong." Harry and Draco were looking at Terry like he'd grown another head.

"But it says here this guy ate his family…" Harry stated weakly.

"Someone has an evil side." Draco added.

"Oh…er…"

"Now who doesn't have a retort?"

Terry threw his book at Draco. "OW!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Great Hall<strong>_

_**Breakfast**_

_**Sep 3**__**rd**__** 1991**_

The next day Harry barely ate any breakfast because he was so nervous about going to History of Magic. He was so caught up in his own thoughts he didn't even notice when Hedwig landed right in front of him until she nipped his ear.  
>"Ow! Oh, Hedwig, I didn't see you."<p>

The owl gave him a look that said 'Obviously.' Harry smiled a little sheepishly, took the letter from her and opened it.

_Dear Harry,_

_Hogwarts sounds so amazing! Especially the Great Hall, it must be pretty cool to get rained on…but also NOT get rained on at the same time! If only you had thought to take a camera. Oh well._

_I'm glad to hear you made friends, even if one of them sounds like a prat. I'll survive him 'cause I'm your brother. Hope you can tell me all about classes!_

_Your Devilishly Handsome Brother,_

_ Parker_

_P.S. __**This letter has been spell checked and edited by Matron. Who disagrees that Parker is devilishly handsome and thinks he should go back to cleaning the dishes. She also hopes that Harry is having a wonderful time at school.**_

Harry laughed, it was just like the Matron to write something like that on a letter. Harry also noted that Parker didn't mention Alex. In fact he stressed the fact that he is Harry's brother. _'Maybe Parks is a little jealous?' _Harry thought.

Harry was pulled out of his thoughts by Terry, "Hey Harry, it's almost time for class we should get going."

Harry got up and followed his friends. Yet as he left the Great Hall he was half hoping that they'd get lost.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, no Lily this chapter. She will come in next chapter. But you did get to see Alex, Ron, and Hermione!<br>**

**Also I got a Review that said that they thought it was going to be dedicated to the pairings, It's not ROMANCE look in the top. I'm just asking now so I can plan ahead, you know, to YEARS away when they get together. **

**So far this is what I'm leaning towards:**

**Harry/Daphne or Luna or Ginny (I like her) Draco/Hermione or Luna (Gotta love Luna) Terry/Susan**

**Alex/? Ron/Hermione or Tracy Parker/Ginny or Astoria (A reviewer suggested it and now I can't get it out of my head...)**

**Now... *takes big breath* **

**REVIEW REPLIES!**

**ibterismith50: **** Yeah, Daphne might do that... Hmmm...  
><strong>

**Guest: ****No pairings for now, they ARE after all just eleven. I hate writing Fluffy romance bits, I'm just not good at it...**

**Extended Experience: ****Me too! I wanted to prove my point, that anyone can get into any house, that and Harry needs a friend other than Draco to keep him company. Yeah, Draco is smart, as far as I can tell he was smart in the Books. I'm glad you like them arguing, they will do a lot of that. ;)  
><strong>

**Kairian1979: **** *Cough* Dumbles *cough* What? I didn't say anything...**

**Brackenfern: ****Okay, thanks for the input! **

**Beau2809:****Yeah, I like her with Bill too, I was just saying what people had told me. **

**Me Llamo Berry:** **I hate OOC Potters too, so I'm glad you like it! **

**Pikachu79: ****I hope you liked this one!**

**charm13insomnia:****Thanks!**

**ww1990ww: ****Sev would be in a lot of trouble!**

**Christian Chick: ****I like her character to much to do that to her, so she's gonna be a normal version of her. (As normal as you can get in an AU)**

**HeartsGlow: ****O.O Now you put the idea in my head... who knows where it will go!**

**Justina: ****Ginny. You are right, she would. You've nearly convinced me!**

**Toby860: ****Parker and Luna... Hmmm... Now it's in my head!**

**sanbeegoldiewhitey: I used Terry because he is muggle-born and I felt like it. Draco will be his friend because I don't think I could write as realistically a mean Draco because I like his character, and I've read too many stories where they really over do Draco. It's sad... I hope you will continue reading the story, but if not... I'm sorry you didn't like it.**

**Roses Wrath: ****I do like Dramione...  
><strong>

**Arford: Thanks, I am SO glad you like it!**

**Okay so there you have it! Next chapter is currently in the works!**

**NINJA OUT!**


	9. Meeting Mum

**!I AM WORKING ON EDITING THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT MESHES WELL WITH THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.!**

**AN: Hi there everyone... I am sorry to say I cannot continue this story... APRIL FOOLS! Happy April Fools day everyone! Also happy 'It's finally warm enough to be called spring day'! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Meeting Mum<strong>

_**History Of Magic Classroom**_

_**Sep 3**__**rd**__** 1991**_

As soon as they sat down in the classroom Harry was extremely nervous. He kept organizing his books over and over, and after a while Draco had enough.

"Okay, already! It's not like she's going to kill you!"

"I-I know. I'm just a little nervous."

"Why? It's not like she's going to walk straight up to you and cast the killing curse."

"There's a _killing curse?!_" Harry's eyes widened and he sunk lower in his chair. Terry glared at Draco, who in turn shrugged and mouthed 'He needed to know!'

"Yes, well it wasn't exactly the right time to tell him!"

"Whatever."

"Urgh!" Terry slammed his book on his desk and turned towards Harry. "Harry, are you afraid of her?"

"No! Well, maybe a little. But that's not the point! She is going to talk to me after class and I have no idea what to say!"

"Are you mad at her?"

"Of course!"

"Then tell her that." Terry said as he faced the front again, leaving Harry to think about what he said.

* * *

><p>After class, which was surprisingly interesting, Harry told Draco and Terry that he'd meet them at lunch and sat back down at his desk.<p>

Professor Potter was putting away her teaching materials and hadn't noticed him yet. As soon as she was done she picked up her wand and turned around to walk out the door.

Harry cleared his throat, effectively making her jump and point her wand in his direction.

Nearly immediately she recognized Harry and lowered her wand. "Er, what can I do for you?" She asked.

"I'd like to talk if it's not too much trouble." Harry answered

She came over and sat down in a desk near Harry. "No, no trouble at all. What do you want to talk about?" Lily asked hopefully, she had been meaning to come and talk to him after Alex told her what the two of them talked about the day before.

"Well," Harry started a little nervously, but then he remembered what Terry said. "I'm not very happy with you."

Lily sighed, of course, she had expected as such. She wasn't very happy with herself either.

"I came in here ready to yell at you." Harry stated looking her in the eye. Lily nodded, ready for the verbal lashing that she had prepared for.  
>"But now I don't know..." Lily looked up surprised when her raven haired son said that.<p>

"Why not?"

"'Cause," Harry leaned back in his chair. "You're my dream come true. I've always wanted to meet my parents, and now you are sitting right here in front of me."

Lily's eyes filled with tears as she listened to her son speak _'If only James and I weren't stupid enough to listen to that idiotic Dumbledore then my son wouldn't have had all this trouble.' _She thought.

"It doesn't mean I am any less mad at you though! You did, after all, leave me to rot at an orphanage letting me think you were dead!" Harry accused. Lily opened her mouth to argue, but thought it better to let Harry get it all out first. "You never came back for me," Harry continued "You kept Alex but you never came back for me! And now I come to school and I'm back in your lives again, but you are just going to force me out, all over again. Except this time I'll remember it and never ever, _ever_ forgive you!" Harry was close to tears at this point, but he continued, "But right now, all I want to know is, Why? Why did you leave me? Why did you keep Alex and raise him, but leave me?!"

Lily closed her eyes and took a deep breath, readying her answer to his questions. When she opened her eyes, Harry was gone, having run out of the classroom crying. She put her head in her hands, why must she be so stupid?! She kept thinking about Harry's face as he said those words that were etched into her memory. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice Sirius until he put a hand on her shoulder, making her jump.

"Sirius! I didn't see you there."

"I know." He grinned. "I saw you sitting here like this and figured something was wrong."

"Well, nothing is wrong."

Sirius raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Oh, alright, it's Harry."

"You talked to him?"

"Not per say…"

"Lily, what do you mean?"

"Well, he sort of chewed me out."

Sirius barked a laugh at that. "Oh he did?"

"Yes," Lily turned to him and met his eyes, "Sirius, he is prepared to hate James and I."

"Well, no offence Lily, but I can't blame him. You did hand him off to Dumbldork without too much trouble."

"I know…I've been blaming myself for years."

"Yes, you regret your decision, but he doesn't know that. Did you even say anything to defend yourself?" Sirius questioned, though he knew the answer.

"No, not really."

"Then he doesn't know about anything you've done other than leave him to the sharks! You need to talk to him again."

Lily didn't answer, but she knew he was right.

* * *

><p>"But Daphne! I wasn't even done with lunch yet!" Tracy Davis continued her string of complaints to her best friend, who was dragging Tracy down one of the dungeon corridors toward the Slytherin common room.<p>

"Tracy, do you wish to look like a pig in front of the entire house?"

"Well, no. But I should at least be able to finish eating!"

"A proper pureblood arrives fashionably late and leaves early!"

"I thought my mum just said that to get out of her gossip circle early…"

"That's not the point!" Daphne stopped and turned to face her friend. "The point was to impress our betters in the house! Did you see Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkinson? They were all stuffing their faces! At least Nott, Zabini, Bulstrode, Boot, and Malfoy have some sense."

Tracy stopped listening to her friend's rant after that. About thirty seconds later she thought she heard someone crying. "Do you hear that?" She interrupted Daphne. The other girl stopped suddenly and turned. "Hear, what?"

"I think I hear someone crying!"

"I don't hear anyth—Tracy!" Daphne yelled after her friend who was quickly running towards the sound she heard.

Once she got there she saw a large mass of black that was sniffling. "Er, hi?"

The blob looked up quickly and she saw it had green eyes. It was Potter 2. Otherwise known as Harry James Potter. "Um," He said while standing up and drying his eyes. "Hello. I'm Harry."

"You were crying."

"No, as far as I know my name has always been Harry." The boy joked, but he still had tears tracked down his face.

Tracy let out a giggle without meaning to. "That's not what I meant."

Daphne walked up behind Tracy and examined Harry. "Oh look, Tracy, it's Potter 2!"

"Huh?" Harry asked.

Tracy shook her head, "Ignore her, she's in a bad mood."

"I am not!"

"Oh, okay." Harry ignored Daphne's protest. "It's nice to meet you." He dried his wet hand on his robes then held it out to shake.  
>Tracy smiled and shook it. "You too, I'm Tracy Davis." She introduced herself, deciding to ignore the fact that the boy had been crying three minutes ago. "And the angry lump over here is Daphne Greengass."<p>

"Pleasure." Daphne greeted.

Tracy decided to bud in before Daphne made Harry run off like she did Millicent. "So, we were just headed to the common room, do you want to come with us?"

Harry perked up a little at her offer and nodded.

Just after they started off towards the common room again Harry face palmed. "Great, just great."

"What is it?" Tracy asked.

"I told Draco and Terry that I'd be at lunch! They are gonna kill me!"

"Just explain what you were doing and that you forgot. It's sure to soothe Boot at least."

Harry nodded and relaxed once more. He decided that the next time hew saw Alex, he was going to talk with him again, and see what information he could get out of his brother.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, yeah. He yelled at Lily a little and met Daphne and Tracy. YAY! Oh! I decided not to go with HarryGinny because so many of you are against it. I am still undecided though.**

**NO UPDATE FOR ONE WEEK GUYS! Sorry guys, I have to focus a little more on my Novel for Camp NaNoWriMo and a little less on Fan Fiction this month. See ya in two weeks! **

**REVIEW REPLIES!**

**robert32514: I don't know what Vin Diesel is, but if you want to, go for it! **

**Aegis Dragon: Honestly, so do I. :)**

**Alice: I do agree, as you can see he is not going to forgive the easily, even after he finds out everything. Also, you have made me really wonder what house to put Parker in... Hmmm**

**serialkiller: That is the pairing I am leaning towards... **

**geetac: Thanks!**

**Sirius J Potter: Why thank you!**

**sanbeegoldiewhitey: Honestly I didn't look at Harry Potter wiki, but I may go back and change his blood status because you're right, it might make more sense. Also, I agree that canon Draco is evil, but I've read to many "Goodguy" Draco fics here on fanfiction and it has forever tainted my vision of him. Oops, I think I'm under the 'Fanon affect' Thanks for deciding to continue!**

**Extended Experience: Dramione, That is what I think I may be doing. I'm glad you liked the letter! ;)**

**Guest1: I'm not sure if I will do Harry/Luna but she will definitely be paired with someone.**

**Christian Chick: No, I can't post it on here 'cause it's an original work, but my goal is 30,000 for this time! Yes, Neville will be in the story, He's so much fun! **

**Kairan1979: I agree with that wholeheartedly.**

**mizzrazz72: They don't. They both know they did wrong and are planning to try to gain his trust back slowly.**

**Mashkai30: Thank you! I am glad you like it!**

**mumimeanjudy: I am not going with Hinny, and you're right, she would be all over Alex.**


	10. Potions Class

**AN: I feel awful! I did NOT keep my promise to update twice in April, and for that I am sorry. I'm not going to give you guys lame excuses (Though I have plenty) and get on with it.  
><strong>

**P.S. I updated the last chapter a little, but it's not quite worth going back to read it again. Just some minor edits here and there.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Potions Class<strong>_

_Potions Classroom_

_Sep 6__th__ 1991_

The next time Harry got a good chance to talk with Alex was during Potions class on Friday. So, instead of sitting with Draco, Terry or the girls (They had become good friends), Harry walked straight over and sat next to Alex. Alex seemed just as surprised as Harry's friends, who were currently calling him back over.

"Harry don't leave me to work with Boot!"

"Hey, the feeling's mutual Malfoy."

"Potter the first is not the best person to sit with, he's a dimwit." Daphne got glared at by Alex for that comment.

"Guys, Harry should be allowed to sit with his _brother_. Come on Draco, you can sit with me." Tracy told them off, rolling her eyes and receiving a grateful look from Harry.

As soon as they had left him alone, Harry began unpacking his ingredients until he was again interrupted, this time by Alex.

"Er, Harry, not to sound ungrateful, but why _are_ you sitting with me?"

Harry turned and looked at him. "Why not?"

"Well, Mum told me you sort of told her off."

"That is between Professor Potter and I, not you Alex."

"Oh, okay." Alex turned the other way, not quite sure what to say.

Harry figured now was a good a time as any to ask his questions. "Say, Alex? Everyone keeps saying that you're famous, why?"

"'Why' what?"

"Why are you famous?"

"'Cause I survived the Killing curse."

"Aren't you supposed to die when the Killing Curse hits you?" Harry asked incredulously. "I mean, it is called the _Killing_ Curse for a reason."

Alex laughed, "That's why I'm famous, because I survived something no one else ever has, apparently. I think it's stupid."

"Why do you think that?"

Alex sighed and set down his hemlock root. "I'm famous for something I don't remember, people think I'm some sort of savior, but I'm not." He paused, "Every time I meet someone new, they always want to see my scar, and it can get rather annoying, having people around you only because you're famous." Alex pushed his bangs in front of the scar. "Sorry, I must be boring you."

Harry shook his head, "No you haven't been. It was rather interesting. How have your parents coped with it?"

Harry didn't see the little bit of hurt creep into Alex's eyes when he said 'Your parents' "Well, I'd say rather well, 'cept mum didn't let me leave her sight until I was nine. Always mumbling about, 'Can't let him have Alex too' 'm not sure what she meant."

Harry could guess, it probably had something to do with him.

"Dad did pretty well too, I guess. They're normal parents with a famous son, I suppose." Alex smiled at Harry.

Harry nodded, he still wasn't sure what to think of the parents he never knew he had.

* * *

><p>Severus Snape was late. He was never late unless he planned it that way. Checking the time again, he swore. Why couldn't Albus give the teachers permission to apparate? It would save <em>so<em> much time!

Nonetheless, Severus was still late, and it wouldn't do him any good standing around grumbling about it. He ran down the next staircase, snarkily wondering how many students would have nightmares about giant bat tonight.

When he reached the classroom he found it full of Gryffindor and Slytherin first years, including the His godson, the Potter brat, and Harry (Whom Severus refused to think of as a Potter. He was more of an Evans kind of person.) He strutted toward the front of the classroom and began role call.

He swallowed his pride and didn't try and make Alex Potter look like an idiot, as Harry was sitting right next to his brother.

"Today we will be making a simple delusional draft to test your skills. I hope none of you mess up," Severus made a pointed look at Weasley and Longbottom, "As you and your partner will be testing the potion once finished." He finished writing the ingredients on the blackboard and turned to find a bushy haired girl with her hand in the air.

"Yes Miss…"

"Granger, Sir. I was just wondering what page the potion was on, so we could see the instructions a little better."

Severus grinned, he was going to have a lot of fun with this one. "Miss Granger, are you suggesting that my handwriting is poor?"

"Well, no sir, but—"

"Then you might want to start your potion unless you want to poison Miss Perks."

Granger seemed to collect her temper and simply scowl at him, smart girl. "Yes. Sir."

Severus smiled as he watched Harry stop Potter from putting in extra porcupine quills. Yes, this would be a good year.

* * *

><p>"Don't put those in there!" Harry grabbed Alex's hand. "Do you <em>want<em> to poison me?"

Alex went white and shook his head. "No, I just thought I hadn't put these in already."

Harry took a breath, calming himself down. "It's alright. I read a book that said you should keep a list, and mark off what you've already put in." Harry showed him a list with the ingredients listed on them and two sets of checkmarks.

"Why are there two sets of checkmarks?"

"Because I was keeping track of yours for you."

"Oh. Thanks."

Harry grinned. "Trust me, it's in my best interests."

* * *

><p>After class, Harry met up with his friends outside the classroom. "Hey guys."<p>

"Hi Harry!" Tracy piped up first.

"Ugh, Harry. Why did you have me partner with Davis? Why?!" Draco feigned fainting.

"What is he on about?" Harry asked, eyebrow raised.

"Oh, he thinks that Tracy's potion is going to kill him." Daphne explained, grinning.

"Yes, and Greengass seems to think it's a _good_ thing!" Draco added, glaring at the afore mentioned girl.

"Isn't it?" Daphne answered, smiling dreamily.

Draco looked about ready to explode.

Terry just stood there, rolling his eyes. "You're such a drama queen Malfoy."

Draco whirled around "And you're a show off, know-it-all!"

Harry sighed, '_Here we go again.'_

* * *

><p>As Alex and Ron walked out of class, Alex could see Harry go meet his friends. He didn't understand Harry. His mum had told him about Harry telling her off, and she had told him that Harry might want nothing to do with him now, but he still sat next to Alex during class.<p>

He kept track of Alex's potion for him. Even though he said he did it so he wouldn't get poisoned, Alex didn't think that this was exactly the case.  
>He also listened while Alex <em>complained<em> about being famous! Most people he told that to told him that he must be crazy, but Harry actually _listened!_  
>Harry Potter is most definitely an enigma<p>

"Come on, mate." Ron said, startling Alex out of his thoughts. "Let's go back to the common room, Fred and George said they needed our help with something."

Alex decided to let the thoughts of his brother go for now, and go have fun with his best friend. "Sure, as long as they don't have us testing their joke shop items again! Mum nearly ratted me out last time!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yes, I know it's short.<strong> **But I had _no_ time to write this past month! I didn't even finish my NaNoWriMo! This month, I am nailing my foot to the floor on writing this. **

**I've decided I'm just going to let it play out on the pairings. You know, do the one that feels right when the time comes to do it.**

**BTW This summer, if I don't get enough chapters written before, I have a job at a summer camp with NO WIFI. That means I can't update unless I load the chappies to the site then post from my phone. So this summer it'll be sporadic updates. But in NO WAY am I discontinuing this.**

**[Guys, I'm not putting the review replies in this chapter, I don't have time to write them out.]**

**See you guys next time! **

**NINJA OUT**


	11. Letters, Scars, and Fancy Flying

**AN: *Hides behind long list of excuses*  
><strong>

**Oh, hello! Long time no see... he he... **

**UH, sorry about the supreme lack of updating this recently. I believe I mentioned staff in the last chapter, it was AWESOME by the way. But other than that, I found out I'm moving... yay... BUT I will try to get back to regular updates ASAP!**

**This chapter has been half-written for a majority of the summer, but it is now done! I really hope it's up to the same standards as the last chapters, I hope that my writing style hasn't changed or something...**

**Oh! and I decided to start a... _plot_ *Audible gasps* I know right!?**

**ANYWAY, enough of my babbling and onto the story!**

**Disclaimer: Just because I own all the books, doesn't give me rights to the characters... sadly.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Letters, Scars and Fancy Flying<strong>_

_Surrey Charity Orphanage_

_Oct 10__th__ 1991_

"Stephen Parker! Get out of my kitchen and go do… something, I don't really care what!" said the frustrated Matron.

Parker, who had just been passing through the packed kitchen, shrugged and went over to the little 'Library', which was essentially an old bedroom that had bookshelves instead of beds. There was dust over the entire place, except for what had been dubbed 'Harry's Corner'. That was where Parker went to write his letters to Harry, as it was there he felt closer to _his_ brother. Parker was still worried that Harry'd replace him with this other guy, who had _no right_ to Harry. None. At all. EVER!

The boy was so caught up in his thoughts that he, not expecting anyone to be in Harry's chair, sat on someone. "Oi! Parker!"

He jumped up quickly, "Jessica! What are you doing in Harry's chair?!"

The blonde girl just stared at him incredulously. "I don't see his name on it anywhere! Anyway, he's not even here right now, so it doesn't matter. What are _you_ doing in the Library? I thought you said you were _allergic_ to it?" She crossed her arms and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Come to try and prank me, is that it?"

Parker wrinkled his nose, "No! You think I would come in here for _you_? No! Not in a million years!"

Her brown eyes narrowed, "You aren't putting me on?"

"No! I'm serious! I just came in to write Harry a letter!" He showed her his pen and paper.

At this, Jessica deflated. "Oh alright… I _guess_ I'll trust you. _This time._"

Parker rolled his eyes and went to the other side of the room to sit.

"Why are you going over there?"

Parker stopped at her voice and turned around. "Why not? You _said_ you don't want me!"

"No I didn't! I _said_ I don't trust you, not that I don't want some civil company. With Harry gone, there is no one here worth talking to, other than Matron. But she's a little busy right now." Jessica pointed to the door, outside of which a faint "Kyle get off that table. _Right. Now!_!" was heard.

Parker tried to hold back a grin, Kyle had just gotten here, having been brought off the street by a copper, and to say the least, Matron would be preoccupied for quite a while.

"Wait, I thought that you and Harry didn't like each other!"

Jessica gave him a look, "Just because _you_ and I don't get along, doesn't mean that Harry and I aren't on civil terms."

"But he helps me prank you!"

"Of course he does! You're his brother, Harry would do practically anything for you!"

Parker slumped into the chair he'd sat in, "Not anymore."

She looked at him sharply, "What do you mean, 'Not anymore'?"

"He has a _real_ brother. Parents too."

"He does?"

Parker nodded somberly, "He isn't gonna want to talk to _us_ anymore, he's got a family now."

Jessica grabbed the boy's shoulders and shook. Hard. "Don't be daft! Harry loves you! He's not going to run off and leave you because he suddenly has _parents_! Who, I might add, he has never met before and left him here to rot. I'd be bloody mad, if I had that done to me!"

Parker shrugged, "I would be too, but—"

"No. Stop right now, he isn't gonna leave. That's final." Jessica said, glaring at him. "Have you even asked _him_ about all this?"

Parker shook his head.

"Well, then you can't know, dumbbell!"

"I guess…"

"You guess? Uh uh, that won't do it. Hand me a paper." She held her hand out.

"Why do you need one?" The boy asked, but still handed over the paper.

"_I'm _going to write Harry, doofus!"

Parker watched as she settled down to write, and figured he might as well do the same.

_Hey Harry,_

_So you finally get to ride on a broom? Sounds like a lot of fun! _

_I had an interview with a really shifty looking fellow, he didn't want me though. Not that I'm complaining, he took Joey, and I heard that Joey ended up in the __hospital!_

Joey _had_ been in the hospital after the guy took him, Parker had been in the room when Matron got the call, as they hadn't yet changed his emergency contact.

He looked over at Jessica, who was acting strangely nice, compared to her usual.

_Jessica and I had a talk today. Which is weird, I know, but I think she might just tolerate me now. Maybe I'll prank her a __little_ _less from now on. _

_I've been keeping your corner in the Library clean, I've even read one book!_

_Enough about me anyway, other than the flying, you haven't told me much about what is happening at your school. You _have _tell me more, I want to know more about what you're doing!_

_Parker_

Just as Parker signed his letter, Jessica shoved a folded piece of paper under his nose. "Get this to Harry, will ya? And stop worrying so much!"

She ran off, having heard Matron call for lunch. Parker knew he could get there in just a second, so he went to the window and let Hedwig in.

"Here you go girl, I got a letter from me, and one from Jessica. Can you get 'um to Harry as fast as you can?" The bird stared at him with a 'You have to be kidding me, of course I can.' look, grabbed the letters, and took to the skies.

He watched her until he couldn't see her anymore, then answered the Matron's yells for lunch.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Wednesday Oct 16<em>_th__ 1991_**

**_Great Hall, Hogwarts_**

Harry Potter was leaning over a letter sent from Parker, and a surprise one sent from Jessica. That one he hadn't expected for two reasons:

1) She usually only talked to Harry in the 'Library'

2) She shouldn't know where he is!

Well, Parker _could_ have sent the letter for her. But they didn't really like each other that much.  
>He would wait to read that one in his dorm, because it said to read it in private.<p>

He was a little worried about Joey though, he had been one of the few decent fellows at the orphanage. Joey and Parker actually got along on occasion. Harry hoped Joey hadn't been pulled into something dangerous.

In other news, Harry could feel the excitement running through all the first years. As he had told Parker, the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were having their first flying lesson today, Slytherin and Gryffindor tomorrow. Nearly everyone was extremely excited, Harry could see that Alex's friend, Ron Weasley, was telling anyone who could listen some outrageous story. Others… Not so much. Harry saw Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom leaning over a book, both ashen faced.

Next to him on the Slytherin table, Draco was complaining, "I can't believe they let the _Hufflepuffs_ have lessons before us! We're _obviously_ better!"

"Draco, a pureblood doesn't pout." Said Daphne sharply, who was still a little miffed that Tracy managed to get her potion right.

"I'm not pouting, I'm complaining."

"With you is there a difference?" Terry budded in.

"Shut up, Boot."

Harry and Tracy shared a look of exasperation. According to Tracy, those three were like angry hornets forced into a very small bottle and shaken up. So, in order to stop a fight, Harry decided it was in his best interests to say something before they really got at each others throats. "Hey Terry, what class do we have first?"

Terry looked at Harry and sighed, "You ask me every morning, and shouldn't you have learned the schedule by now?"

Harry just shrugged.

"We have DADA first."

"Thank you!"

* * *

><p>In DADA later, Professor Quirrell was going on about Vampires, but no one could really understand him, because his voice was shaking too much.<p>

"What a fraud!" Draco whispered furiously. "How am I supposed to get good marks if I can't understand the teacher?"

"By reading the textbook, what else?!" Terry smacked him with the very same book, "He's literally quoting it."

"Exactly, those _properly_ paying attention would know that." Daphne said pompously, leaning over her book.

"_Which_ the rest of us can't do while you guys are jabbering!" Tracy interrupted, glaring at the three while Harry snickered into his hand.

His hand, though, immediately moved to his forehead as a spark of pain shot through his old scar.

"M-may I-I ask w-w-what y-you are t-t-talking ab-about?" Quirrel had snuck up behind them.

"Oh, we were just commenting on your wonderful teaching skills, sir." Draco stated while smiling. Terry had a coughing fit that sounded suspiciously like 'suck up.' Draco thought it was a little odd that the Professor didn't even spare him a glance, he, who was being perfectly polite to this idiot.

Instead, all he was doing was staring at Harry, who had his hand on his head like he was in pain.

As soon as Quirrel walked away, Tracy put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry? Are you alright?"

Slowly, Harry nodded. "Yeah, I think I'm fine. It's just, it has never done that before."

"What has, Harry?" Draco asked.

"My scar." Harry pulled up the fringe on his forehead to show the Lightning bolt scar.

Draco, Terry, and Daphne gasped. Tracy put a finger on the scar, which made Harry recoil. "That's cold."

"Oh, sorry. Your scar just looks a little red. You say that it has never hurt like that before?"

Harry shook his head, "It's never hurt at _all_ before."

Tracy's brows furrowed in thought.

The other three, who had been in deep conversation while Harry and Tracy were talking, all said at once "When did you get that scar?"

Harry was startled by the sudden question, "Er, I've had it as long as I can remember, why?"

"Because your brother," Terry started.

"Who is the Boy-Who-Lived," Draco continued.

"Has a scar in the exact same place." Daphne finished.

Tracy sighed, "Guys you're overreacting. It's just a coincidence, right Harry?"

Harry looked up at her and shrugged, "I guess."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Slytherin Boy's Dorms<strong>_

_**Oct 16**__**th**__** 1991**_

As soon as Draco, Terry, and the other boys—Crabbe, Goyale, Nott, and Zabini—went to sleep, Harry pulled out his wand and lit it.

He pulled the crumpled letter out of his pocket and opened it, finding a lacy script that no-doubt belonged to Jessica.

_Harry. James. Potter._

_Hi, Might as well start friendly, because I am about to tell you off._

_I can't __believe_ _you! Haven't you told Parker that he is still your brother, and that you have no intention of going back to the people who left you on the doorstep of this lovely orphanage to __ROT?!_

Harry flinched, he knew Parker was jealous, but he didn't know that Parker thought he wouldn't come back.

_Since I just had to talk him down from near tears, I'm assuming not. Potter, you need to understand that he loves you, and is worried that you are going to leave him for something you've always wanted!  
>Oh, who am I kidding, it's the thing that every kid in this bloody orphanage wants.<em>

Harry hadn't even thought about the possibility of going… _home_… with his parents. The was no way he was ready for that yet, he felt safer with Parker and Matron at the Surrey Orphanage.

_So, now that I've told you off right, I can ask this question._

_Since you're at a boarding school, the Library must be bloody amazing, tell me about it? _

_Tell me,_

_or else!_

_Jessica_

_P.S. I want to know everything this summer when you COME BACK._

Harry snorted, no matter how tough Jessica appeared to be, she would always have a soft spot for the written word. Not that Harry could blame her, after all, they met and became friends over books. In her letter she wrote each letter carefully and cautiously, making sure it was perfect before moving onto the next word. Harry had to admit, she had pretty handwriting.

Though, he must find a way to tell her about the Library without telling her about magic.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter! Turn out that bloody light!" He heard the whispered voice of one of his dormmates.

"Sorry." He replied, then he rolled over, turned the light out, and went to sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch<strong>_

_**Oct 17**__**th**__** 1991**_

The next morning Draco practically dragged Harry out of bed, Terry having already been up, and wouldn't let go of his arm until they were out on the Quidditch pitch.

"Where's the teacher?" He exclaimed as soon as they had gotten there.

"Not here." Terry started, "Because it's only _seven o'clock_ in the morning." He gave the blonde a look.

"I say we go back and return at a decent hour." Chimed in Daphne, "A pureblood needs her beauty sleep."

Tracy shook her head in disagreement, "Nope. I couldn't go back to sleep if I tried."

Harry grinned, "Me either. After I'm up, I can't go back to sleep, everything is too interesting!"

"You two seem more energetic then Malfoy!" Terry exclaimed, half wanting to go back to his dorm, where his favorite book lay on the bedside table.

Daphne stretched out her arms, saying, "Go over there and use some of your energy. I say you should run to the other side of the pitch and back, while I drag Draco and Terry to breakfast like _normal people._" The last bit was aimed more at Draco, whose arm Daphne immediately snatched up and dragged to the castle. "Terry! Come here boy!"

"Woof, woof." Terry imitated dryly, rolled his eyes, and followed.

Tracy turned to Harry and asked, "You sure you don't want to follow them?"

In answer, Harry took off to the other side of the pitch, "Who ever said we were normal? Last one there is a rotten egg!" he said behind him.

"Oh it is _so_ on!" Tracy yelled, running after her friend.

* * *

><p>After running the pitch once, the two stopped to talk until the others came back. "Say Harry, what you want to be after school?" Tracy was the first to speak up.<p>

Harry looked at her and shrugged. "I don't know. I honestly don't know what sort of jobs there are out there."

"You're kidding!"

"Nope. Tracy, you're forgetting that I grew up in a muggle orphanage."

"Oh." Tracy wrinkled her nose in thought. "Well, I could tell you about some of the more odd ones, and I'm sure Daphne and Draco could tell you about the others, they're fathers work in the Ministry, stuffy, no-good, place that it is."

Harry paled, "I think I'll ask Draco. 'Cause Daph is already saying she has to give me—Oh, how did she say it?—'Lessons to survive in the pureblood world'!" He said in a very silly voice.

"Oh she did?" Tracy asked, laughing. "Well good luck with that!"

"No kidding! Merlin, I'm done for…"

"Oh no, you'll survive. But of course you will be a very _proper pureblood_ when she's done." She said mischievously.

"No! Tracy save me!" Harry exclaimed dramatically.

"I'm sorry, it's just not possible." She faked a somber face.

"What's not possible?" They heard a voice from behind them. Turning, Harry saw it was Alex and his friends.

"Apparently I'm doomed to a life of misery." Harry answered, grinning.

The three newcomers looked confused, but didn't comment.

Tracy laughed, "It's a long story."

Alex shrugged and seemed to be about to say something, when he was cut off by the redhead. "Have you heard my story about the hang-glider?"

Alex and the girl groaned, the girl saying "Oh for goodness sake, Ronald! We don't need to hear that one _again_!"

Ron pouted, having wanted to tell it, again.

Alex, who had been chuckling at his friends bickering, calmed himself, and said, "So are you two excited for the flying lessons."

Harry exclaimed, "Yes!" at the same time Tracy said, "Not in the slightest."

"Why not, Tracy? It sounds easy enough!" Harry wondered.

"Yeah, Quidditch is the best sport in the world!" Piped in Ron.

"Ugh, I can't blame her. Honestly, I'm sure I'm going to die." Hermione glared at her two friends.

"Hermione, I've told you before, you won't die." Alex grinned back at her. "You only have to go a few feet off the ground."

"Still!"

Tracy, who had been silent for the entire exchange, laughed at Hermione. "Potter is right, you aren't going to die. I just don't like the feeling of being off solid ground, that's why I don't like it."

Hermione sighed, "I suppose so."

Alex was affronted, "How come you listen to her but not to me!?"

"It's a girl thing, Potter-The-First." Daphne said from behind Alex, surprising him. "It's an unwritten rule, never take a guy's advice, it usually makes you look like an idiot." She smirked at him.

"Hello, Greengass, Malfoy, Boot." Alex acknowledged.

Draco was too busy glaring at Ron to notice anything. "Well, if it isn't Weasley!"

"Malfoy." Ron's eyes thinned to slits.

"Alright, everyone!" Madame Hooch called out, right in the nick of time. "Fall in and stand next to a broom!"

* * *

><p>About halfway into the lesson period, the class had <em>finally<em> gotten underway.

Earlier, Neville Longbottom had fallen and broken his wrist, so Draco, being _Draco_, just had to go over and taunt the Gryffindors. That, of course, resulted in some fancy flying on Alex's part after Draco threw something of Neville's (Harry didn't see what it was.) After which, he was dragged off by McGonagall and Harry was sure that he'd be expelled.

On a better note, both Hermione and Tracy had been doing well, each helping the other out if needed. Draco had a smug look on his face, and was doing fairly well. To his dismay, so were Ron and Terry, the former having some training from his brothers and the latter was just trying not to fall off, and thankfully succeeding.

Harry, in his opinion, was doing the worst out of their entire group. After Alex left with McGonagall, his scar had started tingling, which at that point he just shrugged off. Though as the lesson progressed, the feeling steadily got worse, to the point when Harry was lightheaded, and he was losing grip on the one thing that was holding him thirty feet in the air. In the back of his mind he heard Hooch say, "Why, no Professor Quirrell, I don't recall Albus saying that…"

Harry slowly turned his head to look at the two professors, trying to call for help. But as soon as Quirrell locked eyes with Harry, the pain in his scar flared and his hands finally lost their grip on the broom, sending Harry plummeting to the ground.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hospital Wing<strong>_

_**Hogwarts**_

_**Oct 18**__**th**__**, 1991**_

The next thing Harry remembered, he had woken up in the Hospital Wing, with Madame Pomfrey hovering over him. "Mister Potter," She had said, "What on Earth caused you to _want_ to fall thirty feet?"

"Madame Pomfrey, I wasn't exactly expecting to fall, but I couldn't hold on any longer!"

"Couldn't hold on? Why not?"

"I was dizzy and lightheaded, and my scar was bothering me." Harry lifted his fringe and showed his scar to the nurse.

She gasped and sent several diagnostic spells in quick succession. "Merlin…" She said, pale. "I must summon Albus. And your parents of course." She added as an afterthought, which was probably meant to comfort Harry, but only made him more nervous.

'_What could be so important about a small dizzy spell that it could warrant the attention of the Headmaster? Other than the fact that I fell…' _Harry thought to himself. _'Or maybe it isn't the dizzy spell itself, because the Nurse didn't panic until I told her my __scar__ was bothering me… could it have something to do with that?' _The boy asked himself, fingering the scar, which had stopped tingling.

Harry was still puzzling over this thoughts when a stampede could be heard entering the Hospital Wing. First it was Alex, then Professor Potter, and last was a man that looked—Harry took a double take—Just like him.

"Oh Merlin, Harry are you okay?" Alex asked. "I was with Professor McGonagall when they told me that you'd fallen. Thirty feet? Mum said you're lucky to be alive!" Alex checked his brother over, he seemed fine. Though his hearing might have had to be checked, as Harry didn't answer Alex, instead looking over at their Dad with a calculating gaze.

* * *

><p>James' throat had gone dry. There he was, Harry, sitting there and staring at him, examining him. But he was <em>there<em>, he was fine. James resisted the urge to go up and grab him to take him home and never let him leave. He let his eyes travel over his son's figure, Merlin, Remus had been right, Harry did look just like him.  
>For a moment James caught his son's wary gaze, and anger flared up inside him, Albus hadn't even told him that his parents are alive! He'd learned as much from Alex's and Lily's letters.<br>The boy shifted ever so slightly that his bangs fell out of the way of the child's scar, still as bright and as red as the day he got it.

James watched his wife go up and speak to Harry, whose eyes immediately lost any warmth they might have had in them before.  
>Those eyes that were so similar to Lily's own, now reflected anger and mistrust rather than the affection that they boy's mothers' held.<p>

James' eye flicked back to the scar. To say that week had been the worst of his life would be an understatement. James, unlike his wife, knew that if Harry was going to forgive them, _ever_, it wouldn't be soon. He knew his son would be feeling conflicted, yet betrayed at the same time. Any orphan wishes for parents, yet when Harry found out that they kept Alex, that must have been horrible for him, the ultimate betrayal.

He recalled the hours after Alex was hailed The-Boy-Who-Lived, Harry was essentially cast to the sidelines, in Lily's arms, but not _really_ there. Not when Alex, the '_important'_ one, was there as well.

Yes, James was more than ashamed for his actions, he could have—_should_ have done more. But he didn't. And now he had lost what precious time he had with one of his sons. He was smart enough to know that Harry wouldn't forgive him yet, he wasn't okay with that, it hurt him that one of his sons might think of him as scum, but it was his own fault for being so bloody stupid.

He would take a slightly different tactic then the one Lily was using, she was trying to run right in and pick up where she left off, the loving mother. Yet Harry kept pushing her away.

James didn't want to be pushed away, he wanted to _know_ the son he had lost, and it didn't really matter _how._

He walked right up to the boy and said, "Hello, I'm James. Pleasure to meet you."

* * *

><p>"Hello, I'm James. Pleasure to meet you."<p>

Harry blinked. Once. Twice. Three times, before he was able to say something. He had thought that his father—for that is surely who this was—would run right up to him and act like Harry'd known him for years and knew every little thing about him, like Professor Potter.  
>Harry relaxed a little—just a little—and shook James' hand. "Nice to meet you too, sir. I'm Harry."<p>

James chuckled, "First thing, don't call me sir, it makes me feel old."

Harry grinned a little and nodded. He opened his mouth to say something when an irate Dumbledore burst into the room.

He stopped and calmed down slightly when he saw Harry had company. "Oh, my, Hello." His eyes wandered over to the dark-haired child, who was looking at him with wide eyes, then to his parents, who were both—Along with their other son—glaring at him.

Harry, who had noticed the tension rise in the room in a matter of seconds, was about to get up to leave, when he saw Madame Pomfrey glaring at him. He smiled sheepishly and slid back into his bed.

After what Harry thought of as a _long_ amount of time, James spoke coldly, "Dumbledore, why are you here?"

"I am here to check up on my student."

"Yes, well, as his parents, we say, _Get_. _Out_. _Now_." Lily looked over at James, who nodded in agreement.

Albus looked affronted at being kicked out, but Pomfrey caught on. "You heard them Albus! Out!" She started on shooing him off, getting a grateful look from the Potters.

"Erm… Harry?" Alex said, lifting up the comforter that Harry was hiding under.

"What?"

"Why are you under there?"

"I didn't like him staring at me."

"Oh." Alex couldn't blame him, it was unnerving to say the least.

"Alright Poppy, we need to know what was so important that you needed to call in the Headmaster." Lily turned to the Medi-witch.

Pomfrey sighed and used her wand to lift Harry's fringe, revealing the scar.  
>Alex gasped, while Lily and James stayed silent.<p>

"Harry, you have a scar…" Alex muttered.

Harry glared at the three people gaping at his head. "Stop gaping, you'll catch flies."

"But you _have a scar!_" Alex pointed to it.

"Yes, Alex, lots of people have scars." Harry explained slowly, as if talking to a three year old.

Alex glared at his twin, "I know that! It's just, your scar is in the same place as mine…"

Harry rolled his eyes. "So I'm told. Can you leave now?" He really wanted his parents out.

"No need to be rude, Harry." Said Lily sadly. "We were just going." She grabbed Alex's hand and pulled him out of the Wing.

"But Mum! Lemme go!"  
>James grinned slightly and followed his family.<p>

As soon as all of them were out, Harry finally relaxed. He still wasn't sure what to do with Alex, but, Harry supposed, he was getting used to him.

Lily he still wouldn't, couldn't forgive, not yet. She was the one that _chose_ not to be his mother, and she couldn't just come back into his life and act like nothing had happened. Maybe it was just her way of showing Harry she still loves him, but it slightly scared Harry.

James, the man who would be his father. The man Harry looks just like. He seemed to want to get to know him, more than anything else. He also seemed to know that he'd never be on the same level with Harry as he was with Alex, and accepted that. Harry thought that he might be willing to get to know James, and work on from there.

He laid down with a smile. Maybe having a family forced upon you isn't as bad as it seems. If he thought about it, once he added Parker into the equation, and left out the bit about abandoning him, it actually sounded pretty nice.

Harry knew that he probably wouldn't be able to ignore the abandonment when faced with it. It hurt, a lot, that they could be goaded into doing that to him.  
>Though, if he thought about it, they were victims as well, to a lesser extent. From what they did when the Headmaster walked into the room, and Alex's vague comments, Harry could tell that Dumbledore had something to do with it.<p>

Yes, he knew he wouldn't _forgive_ his parents for a long while yet, he figured that it wouldn't hurt to get to know them a little. Plus, it would make Alex happy and Harry did actually like his brother.

Harry closed his eyes, and thought of what it would have been like to grow up with them, and went to sleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hospital Wing,<strong>_

_** Hogwarts**_

_**Oct 23**__**rd**__** 1991**_

As it turned out, Pomfrey wouldn't let Harry have any visitors other than Alex and Lily until the next Wednesday. Harry, of course, thought this was stupid, and insisted he was well enough to let his friends in.

Finally, the medi-witch relented, and let in his friends. But not before a stern talking to telling them to be quiet and not to excite him. Again, Harry thought he could do with some excitement.

"Hey Harry!" Said Tracy, as she ran and gave him a hug.

"How are you feeling?" Piped in Terry.

"I'm _fine_. Though, Madame Pomfrey doesn't seem to agree with my sentiments." Harry rolled his eyes and grinned, happy to have his friends back.

"We brought you your homework, remember to turn it in on time." Draco handed him an extremely large stack of papers.

"_That_ is my homework?"

Daphne rolled her eyes and took two thirds of the stack and put them back in Draco's arms. "No, _that_, is your homework."

Draco glared at her while Harry laughed, "Thanks Daph. I might be able to get through all of this before it's actually due."

"You're welcome. A _proper _pureblood isn't _unnecessarily_ cruel." She recited, while Draco intensified his glare.

Terry on the other hand was looking at her with wide eyes.  
>"How do you keep all that memorized?"<p>

Daphne started to answer, but interrupted by Tracy, "She makes most of it up. The rest came from her mother, Stuffy old bat that she is."

"My mother is an angel!"

Harry cut the two off before things could escalate higher, "Hey! Why don't you all tell me about the lessons I missed!"

That effectively distracted all of them, and Harry was soon caught up on all his material.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So... hope this is enough to starve off the pitchforks for a while! Also, if anyone can guess my AVPM reference, they get cookies! (::)<strong>

**I hope the part with the Potters didn't seem to forced, especially James. I might change it, it took me a long time to get it this way and I'm still not sure if I quite like it.**

**All in all, just hope you like the chappie! Review and tell me whatcha think of it, I am always looking for advice and suggestions! **

**Till next time!**

**NINJA OUT!  
><strong>


	12. Christmas '91

**AN: Hey there guys... now, before you get out your stones, torches and pitchforks, I'd like to say this:**

**I'm sorry. I hate it with a passion when an author doesn't update their story for months on end without a warning. And guess what? Yeah... that's what I did. Moving to another state had really screwed up my life for a little bit. But, now I'm back (And have a bunch of plot bunnies for this story which have been attacking me) and hopefully this chapter is as good as the others.  
><strong>

**And on that note, I would like to proudly announce... *Drum-roll* THIS CHAPTER IS 7765 WORDS! (W/O AN's, I don't cheat) I have never written a chapter that long before so... enjoy!**

_**Christmas '91**_

_**Dec 12th 1991**_

_**Hogwarts Great Hall**_

The weeks that had passed since Harry was released from the Hospital Wing had been fairly eventful.

One major thing that had happened was the troll in the dungeons on Halloween. No one was hurt, and the rumor was that Alex had killed it, but Harry was remaining skeptical until he spoke with his brother about it.

To be safe, the Slytherins had needed to stay in the Great Hall under blankets that night. Draco was of firm belief that the night of October 31st was the most uncomfortable he had ever been in his life, and he had been complaining about it since.  
>Daphne, on the other hand, was proud to say that she knew more variations of the silencing spell since their stay in the Great Hall.<p>

Most of the Slytherins were still sulking over their defeat in Quidditch at the beginning of the season, including his friends. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, along with their new seeker, Alex, had beaten the Slytherin house team quite well. Flint still felt the need to argue with anyone who would listen about the legality of Alex's catch. According to him, nearly swallowing the ball is illegal, but according to Madame Hooch, he is mistaken.

Harry was perhaps the only Slytherin who had been happy about the Gryffindor win. Mostly he had just been happy to see his first Quidditch game, and the fact that his brother is on the team helped a little.

At the game there had been a fire in the teacher's stands, which was said to be set by some overexcited first year, but Harry wasn't so sure about that. He had seen the way Alex's broom had been bucking, and was fairly sure that brooms weren't supposed to do that. He had also noticed his brother and friends seeming very… on edge recently. Harry didn't think about that _too_ much, he supposed that it was simply because Alex had nearly fallen off his broom.

Through all that had happened, Harry still had managed to focus on his coursework. Thus far, Potions had been his favorite class with Charms as a close second. Transfiguration had been alright, so had Herbology and History of Magic.  
>Defense he didn't like because he couldn't pay attention to what was being taught when the teacher himself was giving him a headache. Tracy said it might be because of the garlic smell that followed the man around everywhere, but Harry had his doubts.<p>

More recently, the school had been buzzing. Not that the school isn't always buzzing for some reason or another. This wasn't a, 'I heard that Silvia was dating Ramone' kind of thing or even, 'Did you see the latest Weasley twins prank? It was genius!' kind of talk either. Christmas Holidays were just around the corner, and _everyone_ was making plans.

Ravenclaws were probably marking which books they'd like, or chatting about the homework they could get done over the holidays.

Hufflepuffs seemed to be planning some sort of party together, which, in truth, scarred Harry a little.

Gryffindors were most likely talking about the latest broom that was out, and hoping their parents would buy it for them.

Slytherins were talking about formal family parties and the annual Yule dinner at the Ministry of Magic.

"I don't see why my parents are going to make me come along to that stuffy ministry dinner anyway, it's _so_ boring!" Tracy complained to her friends. "We only go because Grandfather ran the Department of Magical Theory, and Grandmother insists on keeping her 'Family Traditions'"

Harry frowned, "That doesn't sound like fun, even for adults."

Daphne nodded, "Yes, I agree they truly are boring. My mother no longer takes my sister and me there, we let Father go and talk business."

"No, you come to my family's party instead." Draco stated, smirking. "We have an annual party, anyone with brain cells skips the Ministry Dinner and comes to my house." He sent a pointed look at Tracy.  
>The girl in question huffed and rolled her eyes. "Don't you think I've tried to get my parents to go to your party? They keep saying that we have to stick by Grandmother. Personally, I think we just go to make sure she behaves."<p>

Terry looked up from his textbook, and said, "Merlin, it sure seems like you lot really love making Christmas boring…"

The three purebloods looked over at him, "What do you mean?" Daphne asked.

Terry sighed and laid his book down, "Well, it's just…" He paused to think, "You're all talking about parties and stuff, but what about a family Christmas? At home?"

"We have that," Tracy looked over at Daphne and Draco. "Don't we?"

Daphne looked to Draco, shaking her head, "My family doesn't. Father is always too busy with work, and Mother is too busy planning her dress for the party. Astoria and I are on our own."

Tracy was looking at Daphne, scandalized, while Terry was shaking his head sadly. Harry thought that that sounded like a very lonely way to spend Christmas. Draco rolled his eyes at the Greengass girl, "Well, that sounds fun. My family spends Christmas morning together, then my mother and I go shopping for our party. It's a lot of fun."

Tracy shrugged, "It's different with my family. When my brother was still living at home, he and I would go in and wake up our parents, even before the houselves are up. Then we'd open presents, altogether in our great room, and once we're done, we sing carols and tell stories until it's time to get ready for the dinner." Tracy smiled, "But now my brother is away in Germany, so it's not as fun anymore." She shrugged. "How about you, Terry?"

Terry grinned, "Personally, I've always been up at the crack of dawn, just buzzing around the house until I make enough noise to wake my parents. According to my sister, I look like a giant honey bee until we're aloud to open presents." He rolled his eyes, obviously not agreeing with this, "Then later in the day we visit my Grandmother's house for Christmas dinner and then more presents. My favorite day of the year!" He finished, smiling wider than any of his friends had ever seen him do before.

Harry grinned back at his friend, "Christmas _is_ a lot of fun."

"Harry, what is your Christmas like?" Tracy asked.

Harry thought for a moment, then said "Mostly just Parker and I being goofballs. Making Matron crazy!" He laughed, remembering her face last year. "Most of the other kids love it because we each get a present from Father Christmas, and there's no school until January."

"Well, that's always been an added bonus." Terry agreed, "My old school gave me just enough time to finish my new books before they began again."

Daphne smiled, "Harry that does sound like fun. What are you planning to do this year?"

Harry frowned, "What do you mean?"

"She means," Draco cut in before Daphne could answer, "Are you still going to that Muggle place?"

"Why wouldn't I? Where else would I go?" He asked, still not understanding their meaning.

"What about," Tracy paused, knowing this question was going to ruin the mood, "your parents?"

Harry froze with his cup halfway to his lips, then he turned to look at them, "No."

"Aw, Harry, why not? You could come to my party then!" Draco said with a grin.

Harry glared at Draco, Daphne rolled her eyes and smacked the blonde on the back of his head, "Ow! What was that for?"

"He doesn't want your party you sod!" Daphne growled at Draco.

"Guys." Harry interrupted, before the two started a major fight, "Sorry, but I don't think I'm ready to spend Christmas with my parents."

Tracy sighed, "Alright Harry, we understand." Terry nodded in agreement with Tracy.

"Yeah, no matter how much this _git_ praters about his bloody party, he's still your friend and will heed your wishes, _right Draco_?" Daphne sent the Malfoy heir a pointed look.

"I do not prater…"

"_Malfoy."_

"Fine. I won't force you to stay with your parents so you can come to my party… this year."

Harry laughed and shrugged, "I think that's all he'll give, Daph."

"Wanna bet?" The brunette said evilly.

Draco's eyes widened with horror, "What?!"

Daphne just smiled at him while the other three laughed at their antics.

* * *

><p>"…and what about this one? Alex, are you even listening?"<p>

The boy in question jumped and looked at his friend, "What? Oh, yeah, Ron I'm listening."

Ron narrowed his eyes at Alex, "You were not. You were looking over at the Slytherin table again."

Alex sighed, "Sorry, Ron. I was just wondering what he was laughing about."

Ron followed his friend's line of sight to find the group of Slytherins laughing, "Who knows? Who cares? You're over here, he's over there. He's laughing, you're staring."

Just that moment, their bushy haired friend decided to sit down at the table, a large bag of books sat on the bench next to her. "What are we staring at?"

Ron pointed to the green and silver clad table across the Hall. "Harry."

Hermione sighed, "Alex, if you really want to know what he's doing, rather than asking us every five minutes, go talk to him." She began a now familiar argument.

Hazel eyes snapped to meet chocolate ones, "I can't go over there!"

Now it was Ron's turn to sigh, "Why not?"

"We'll because he prob—"

"Already used that excuse, mate."

Alex glared at Ron and continued, "But he might not even want to…" He trailed off when he felt Hermione's hand on his.

"Just go over there, or stop asking us about him. We know even less than you do." The girl said.

"Fine, I'll stop asking."

Ron smiled, "Great! Now, which one of these to do like better?" He held up the pictures of two different brooms for his friend to see.

"Oh give me those!" Hermione snatched them out of Ron's hand and put them in her bag.

"Oi! What was that for?"

She rolled her eyes and ignored him, "We don't have time for that!"

"We don't?" The boys chorused.

She looked like she could smack them both silly at that moment. "No. We. Don't." She pulled out a long piece of parchment. "Remember your assignments for the holidays?"

Ron frowned, "Yes, but that doesn't mean we're happy about them."

Hermione glared at him, "_Ronald, _is going to scour the Hogwarts library for any reference of Nicholas Flamel, while Alex does the same with the Potter family library."

"My mum has collected so many books, plus all the ones that were already there, there's bound to be a book in there about him." Alex admitted.

"I hope so…" Hermione said, scribbling on her parchment. "Because if we don't find out what that dog is guarding—"

"And why Snape wants it!"

"Yes, thank you Ron." She took a breath and continued, "And what it does, we could be in trouble."

"Snape has already tried to get past the dog once, during Halloween, who's to say he won't do it again during Christmas?" Alex added.

"Well, we'll just have to hope that he bides his time longer." Hermione agreed, "Ron, you need to keep an eye on him over break, don't let him get past that dog!"

"Merlin, 'Mione… How the bloody hell am I supposed to do that?"

"You'll have to think of something." She decided.

"_Merlin…"_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Slytherin First Year Boy's Dorm<em>**

**_Hogwarts_**

**_Dec 21st, 1991_**

Soon the day arrived for the train to depart, taking those leaving for the holidays back to London. Inside the Slytherin dorm, it was quite the flurry of activity.

"Has anyone seen my Charms book?"

"Merlin, Boot, didn't know you ever let the bloody thing out of your sight… now move, I can't find my left shoe."

"Hey, Malfoy! That shoe is mine! Can't you tell? It's not like it's _attached_ to my foot or anything!"

Draco let of of the other boy's foot. "Sorry Nott… Stop laughing Zabini!"

"Alright, _Alright_… give a guy a break! Oi! Goyale! That's _my _trunk!"

"But I can't find my wand."

"Why the heck would it be in my trunk?"

"I've looked everywhere else…"

"Crabbe! Why was my shoe under your _pillow_!?"

Harry was sitting on his bed, shaking with silent laughter at all his dorm-mates antics. He, who had packed fully last night, found all of this running around very amusing. Checking the time, he figured he should let them know that they were almost out of time. "Hey guys!" He yelled.

All of the boys turned to look at him.

"Train leaves in forty-five minutes." He shrugged, "Thought you ought to know."

The arguing came back about five seconds later, but more frantic than before. Harry laughed and went to pick up his bag, then headed out the door to the common room.

Once he had reached the area where the girls were sitting, his laughter had died down a little. The girls looked up as he sat down, "What is taking them so long?" Daphne asked impatiently.

Harry shrugged again, still chuckling slightly.

"They must be looking for things they've forgotten to pack." Tracy looked to Harry, who nodded.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "I _told_ them to pack last night."

"They must not have listened." Tracy said.

"Obviously."

By the time the boys had found everything, they had to run to get the last carriage to the station. "Well," Draco started, "At least we don't have to take the bloody boats this time."

"Obviously not. The lake is frozen!" Daphne was cross with Draco and Terry for taking too long.

"Exactly!"

"Urgh!" She huffed and crossed her arms, apparently preferring to look out the window.

"What's with her?" Terry asked, oblivious.

"This is going to be a _very_ long train ride." Tracy stated, while Harry started laughing again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>King's Cross Station<em>**

Once they'd made it to King's Cross Station, Draco and Terry had ended up tied together in the floor, glaring at Daphne, while the girl in question looked down at them triumphantly. Tracy was giggling in the corner nearest the window.

Harry had just pulled open the door, "I leave for five minutes…" He said shaking his head and chuckling. "What did they do?"

Daphne shrugged, and began gathering her belongings. "Oh, nothing much really." She looked up at him with an evil grin on her face, "Does breathing count?"

"Oi! Breathing is sort of a must, you know." Terry said from the floor.

Daphne whirled around to face him, "Is it? Is it _really?_"

Terry's eyes widened and his face got a few shades paler. Leaning over towards Draco, he muttered, "Remind me not to get on her bad side."

"To late for that, Terry." Tracy said from her perch on the seats above them.

"Will you all be quiet? I'm trying to plot my revenge!" Draco admonished angrily

Daphne laughed at Draco's expense. "I'd love to see you try."

"Why you-" Draco was cut off by an announcement stating that they had arrived at the station, and to please take all their belongings off the train.

"Well, Mother and Astoria will be waiting!" Daphne exclaimed after grabbing her bag, and she ran out of the compartment.

"Coward!" Draco yelled after her.

"Actually, that seemed more like a strategic retreat to me." Harry said, looking at Draco.

Draco scowled, "Whatever. Just get Boot and I untied before they send a search party for me."

Terry, who looked like he had been about to comment on Draco's statement, was shushed by Harry, who was untying the knot that held the two together.

As soon as the two were separated, they scrambled to find their things. Terry, being the first one to gather all his stuff, turned at the door and said, "See you all again when term starts, Happy Christmas!"

"Bye Terry!"

"See you, Terry."

"Be gone, Boot." Smack. "Ow! Harry!"

Terry grinned and left the compartment.

"Personally, I hate you all." Draco said as he gathered his bag up to leave, "None of you appreciate me."

"That's dung and you know it Draco." Tracy stood, also slinging her bag over her shoulder, "You wouldn't know what to do without us. Plus, you're our friend as much as we are yours."

Draco colored slightly and stared at Tracy, "Shut up. Don't get mushy on me." He turned and made a quick retreat from the compartment.

Tracy sighed and turned to Harry, who was pretending he didn't hear the conversation while looking for his new exploding snap deck. "Harry, why is he such a git?"

Harry looked up, "I don't think he is. I think he just doesn't know what to do _with_ us, either."

Tracy sighed again, "Yeah, probably. I just wish he'd get his head out of wherever it's currently at, and become livable, maybe even a reliable friend!"

"Tracy," The girl in question looked at Harry, "Why aren't you a Hufflepuff?"

"Oh, shut it you! I'm being serious!"

Harry tried to hide his grin, "Sorry."

"Ugh, you're useless." Tracy watched him put his deck in his bag, "Come on, let's go."

* * *

><p><strong><em>King's Cross Station<em>**

"But, he's gotta be here! He's ju— _Harry_!" A small body suddenly crashed into Harry.

"Nice to see you too, Parks." Harry laughed, shaking his head.

"You have _so_ much to tell me when we get back to the orphanage!"

"I will I promise!"

"You better!"

"Hello Harry." Said a voice from behind the boys.

Harry whirled around to see Matron, his face split into a grin, "Matron!"

"Yes," She spread open her arms, "Now come and give me a hug!"

Harry flung himself into her arms, "I missed you a bunch, Matron." He said into her shoulder.

"I missed you too Harry."

"Enough with the mushiness! Let's go!" Said Parker.

Matron let go of Harry and laughed, "Alright, let's be going. We have a long car ride ahead of us, so do me a favor and don't mess with each other, okay?"

"Yes, Matron" They chorused.

* * *

><p><strong><em>King's Cross Station<em>**

Draco's cheeks were still flushed slightly as he made his way off the train. 'Lost without them' Ha! Malfoy's don't need acquaintances to survive! He would be perfectly fine if he dropped all of them like- like…

His mind wandered to the first day he'd met Harry, it had been different, for someone not to treat him differently because of his name…maybe even nice.

He thought of the way Tracy looked when she got flustered by something he'd said, and how he'd feel the immediate need to apologize.

Smiling, he thought of the arguments between himself, Greengass, and Boot. Even that was a _little_ fun.

He couldn't do it.

He couldn't drop them if he tried.

They were his friends.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a shout, "Draco!"

Turning, Draco saw his mother standing there next to his father. "Mother, how lovely it is to see you again." She smiled and gave him a short hug.

"Father." Draco nodded his head in greeting.

"Draco, welcome back." His father repeated Draco's actions, then turned towards the flooport at the back of the station.

Before following, his mother turned and said, "I want to know every little detail after your father goes to work, 'kay?"

Donning a smile, Draco nodded, "Yes, mum."

Merlin, was he glad he had his mother.

* * *

><p><strong><em>King's Cross Station<em>**

Alex saw his father as soon as he stepped off the train. "Hi Dad, I've missed you!"

"Hey sport, how was school?"

"It's alright." Alex knew what the next question would be, and he was bracing himself for it.

"So you're actually on the team then? Sirius wasn't pulling my leg again?"

"No, I'm actually on the team." Alex agreed, though not with half the enthusiasm of his father.

"That's _brilliant!_ We can get you…" He went into a flurry of excitement over the fact of Quidditch, as usual.

"_Dad_. Dad! DAD!"

"Huh?"

"I'm quitting next year."

"_What_? Why?"

Alex shrugged, "It's not my thing. I told you that already."

"But-But…" Any arguments he had dies off on his tongue, "You're _way_ too much like your mother for my sanity."

Alex smiled, "I'll take that as a complement!"

James sighed, "Merlin, what will I do with you…"

"Probably gang up on me with Uncle Sirius and try to convert me to what you refer to as, I quote, 'The Dark Side'." Alex answered honestly. At least, that's what he usually did.

James stared at his son and stated, "Why you aren't a Ravenclaw will forever elude me."

Alex rolled his eyes and ignored that, instead grabbing his dad's arm and pulling him through the station. "Come on, let's get home before Mum goes ballistic."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Surrey Charity Orphanage<em>**

**_Dec 21st, 1991_**

Once they had gotten back to the orphanage, Parker and Harry unloaded Harry's bag while Matron went in to check on the other kids.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Parks?"

"What's it like, being there at Hogwarts?"

Harry set down his bag and sat on his bed. "Brilliant! Everything always seems to be spilling over with magic, even the walls! It almost seems quiet coming back, sorta weird."

"Really?" Parker questioned, his eyes eager for more.

Harry nodded, "Where I sleep, the Slytherin common room, that's under the lake, so the light down there has got a bit of a green tinge to it, pretty neat, if you ask me."

The other boy's brows furrowed in confusion. "If it's under the lake, then is it cold?"

"No, not really. It's actually fairly comfy down there. They've got these big fluffy armchairs right next to the fire, which are like sitting on air!" Harry sighed, "I could sit in those forever."

Parker shot Harry a toothy grin, "Sounds brilliant!"

"Oh, it is!"

Parker sat next to Harry, "Can you tell me about the magic ceiling thing?"

"You mean the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall?"

Parker nodded.

"Well…" Harry shot off into the tale, of which he'd originally heard from Daphne.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Potter Home<em>**

**_Godric's Hollow_**

**_Dec 21st, 1991_**

"Lily, we're back!" James shouted up the stairs a few seconds after he and Alex had come in the door.

A faint, "Coming!" was heard by the boys as they took off their coats.

Alex smiled as he saw his harried mother race down the stairs in her 'cleaning clothes' "Ah! Hello there! How was the ride home?"

Alex smiled, "It was fun, Hermione is going to France over the break, and I heard everything ever written down about the country on the way back."

"Oh…"

"No, it was actually rather interesting! Did you know that Louis—"

Alex was interrupted by his father saying, "Let's not talk about dead guys over Christmas, yeah?"

Alex laughed, "Alright dad."

"Thanks squirt." James reached down and ruffled his son's hair. "So, Lils, why are you wearing your 'cleaning clothes'?"

"Have you seen the state of this house?" She deadpanned.

"Er… yeah, about that… I _did_ mean to have it cleaned up before you got back."

Lily's 'evil smile' came into play as she said her next words, "Got lost in translation then, did it?"

"I…er…uh…Help!"

He looked down at his son, who shook his head and stated. "Uh uh, no way. You're getting yourself out of this one, dad!"

"But Alex!"

Alex ignored him and instead turned to his mother, "I'll be in my room mum. Oh, try not to kill dad, it _is_, after all, Christmas." He ran around his mother and went up the stairs, laughing.

When Alex reach the door to his room, he paused. He felt the metal plate with his name on it, signaling it as his room, then his eyes traveled to the paper stuck on the door with a sticking charm, that paper which said 'Harry's room too' in Alex's five year old handwriting.

He'd put that up the day his parents finally told him about Harry. He himself barely remembered doing it, but he'd been told that he stole his father's wand to do the deed.

Sighing, he pushed open the door. He really hoped that Harry would, someday, live here with him. Though, he knew it wasn't likely to happen soon.

Sitting down at his desk, he opened his sketchbook, flipping through his old drawings randomly. He'd found his love drawing on his eighth birthday, when his Uncle Remus gave him this sketchbook and some muggle drawing pencils.

Alex flipped to his first drawing, the one drawn at the party itself. This one depicted Uncle Sirius, as Padfoot, sitting on top of his father. Alex breathed a laugh at the surprised look on his father's face.  
>He flipped again to see a sketch of his mother at her last birthday. His dad had given her a picture of her, himself and Alex. In the sketch, her face is alight with happiness, while James sits next to her, holding her hand.<p>

Alex, throughout the years, had only drawn his most treasured memories in this book. Things that he hoped to be able to look at when he's old and be able to remember what was going on.

A recent memory popped into his head as he got out his pencils. In his mind's eye he could see Harry during their potions class, his eyes betraying his amusement. Alex could probably picture his face as well, and the surprise that must have been apparent as his brother laughed at his joke.

Smiling, he slowly started drawing out what might have taken the slot of his favorite memory.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Surrey Charity Orphanage <em>**

**_Dec 21st, 1991_**

"Come on, David!" Jessica's hand smacked the back of the boy's head, "Stop daydreaming and focus on your Maths homework!"

"But Jessi! I can't focus propr'ly when Matr'n's got food on!" The boy, David, complained.

"I don't care! I'm supposed to make sure you lot do your homework, so do me a favor, and _focus on your bleeding homework!_" She pointed at David's Math book.

From behind Jessica, a gasp was heard, "Jessi said a _bad_ word!"

Jessica whirled around to see little Lacey, a five year old girl whose parents had recently died in an automobile accident. "Aw, Lacey, don't be listening to what I'm sayin', focus on writing your letters for me, will ya?" She tried to say in the gentlest tone possible.

"But Jessi!" Another boy, Jacob, complained. "It's four days into Christmas hols! We could be out playing in the snow with all the _other_ kids, rather than in here driving you mad!"

"Yes, well," Jessica smirked, "_They_ got _their_ homework done yesterday. Unlike you lot, they get to go out and have fun!"

Just then, the Matron stuck her head in the door. "Alright all, I'm freeing you from Jessica for the day. Go and wash up for supper." She laughed as they all ran out of the door.

Jessica crossed her arms and huffed, "If they'd just get it done, this would be so _hard_!"

"I know that, and you know that, but _they_ haven't quite gotten it yet."

"Yeah, well…they're all dunderheads."

"Okay, enough of that." Matron turned to go back in the kitchen, but stopped, "Oh, would you mind going up to get Harry and Parker? Wouldn't want them to miss supper."

"Yes, Matron." Jessica said as the older woman walked out the door.

Jessica made her way up to the boys' room, absentmindedly wondering what Matron had made for supper. She stopped short when she heard Parker's voice exclaim, "And it just floats? Just like that!"

Then she heard a hurried whisper, "Parker! Keep it down!"

Narrowing her eyes, she made her way to the door. Kneeling down, she put her ear to the door.

"Alright, so you've explained; Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Herbology, and Transfiguration, what else do you learn?" That was undeniably Parker's voice.

"Erm…I had a flying lesson." Harry's voice sounded unsure.

"Yeah, you already told me about that!"

"Oh, right."

"What _else_?" Parker's voice had a pleading tone to it.

"There's D.A.D.A."

"D.A.D.A.?"

"Yeah, Defense Against the Dark Arts. We don't learn too much in that class, though."

"Why not?"

"Eh, the teacher isn't very good. You can learn just as much as us by reading the text-book. Plus, he gives me the creeps."

"Oh…why?"

Jessica could mentally see Harry shrugging as he said, "He messes with my head."

She thought this was a good time to intervene. Mentally reminding herself to talk to the two about exactly what _kind_ of school Harry was attending, she knocked on the door. "Erm, Matron said to come and get you for supper."

"Okay, Jessica! We'll be right down!" Harry yelled through the door.

'_Just what are they hiding…?'_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Potter Home,<em>**

**_Godric's Hollow_**

**_Dec 23rd, 1991_**

_'Nectar's and their Uses...The Nefarious Caper...'_ Alex ran his finger along the spins of the books in the library, trying to find something about Nicholas Flamel. _'Nymphs' Beginnings...' _Alex's finger hit the polished wood of the bookshelf, and frantically looked around for more 'N' or 'F' books.  
>Finding none, he sad dejectedly in one of the chairs set out for reading, trying to think of other places he could look.<p>

This was how his mother found him a half-hour later, as she walked in for her mystery novel she'd left there earlier. "Alex?"

The sudden sound of her voice made her son jump, looking up at her with a startled expression on his face. "Mum? What are you doing in here?"

She held up her book and said, "I forgot my book in here earlier, what are _you_ doing in here?"

Alex made up a quick lie in his head, "I need to find out about someone for school, but I can't find any books about him." Alright, so it was _half_ true, but it made him feel better inside.

"Oh," His mother's expression turned thoughtful, "Who is it then?"

"Nicholas Flamel."

"Did Severus assign you that? That should be fourth year work at least!"

Alex's eyes widened, "Er, no mum, it's perfectly fine! I don't mind the research."

Lily's expression softened again, as she went over to the bookshelf and pulled out a book called: '_Great Alchemy Feats of History'_

She handed him the book, "This should cover what you need to know." She laughed, "Half the book is about him!"

Alex's face split into a grin and he gave his mother a tight hug, "Thanks a million!" He ran out of the library saying, "Wait until I owl Hermione!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>_

_**Wiltshire**_

_**Dec 24th 1991**_

It was Christmas Eve, and Draco Malfoy was standing out in the cold. Behind him, he could hear his family's party inside, just beginning.

His reason for being outside? His father.

They'd had another row today. Their fourth one since he'd gotten off the train from Hogwarts. Actually, scratch that, their fourth one, _ever._ For the first time, Draco was counting down the days until he could leave, go back to his friends at Hogwarts.  
>His mother had tried to help, which just ended in father yelling at <em>her<em> as well, something he'd never done before now. Then again, he'd never yelled at _Draco_ before this holiday either.

Draco shook his head and sighed, easing himself onto one of the garden benches. He was starting to see that his father wasn't quite the man Draco had once thought him.

Who was his father to tell him who he could, and couldn't be friends with?

The first friend his father had 'banned' him from speaking to was Terry. The mud-mud—oh, hang it all—muggleborn. Father had claimed that he'd raised Draco better than to surround himself with filth. He even brought up the Granger girl, for Merlin's sake! Draco wasn't even _friends_ with her.

The next he nixed was Harry. Said he shouldn't speak to the lesser son of a pureblood line, especially when his brother is famous. Draco thought this was stupid reasoning, Harry wasn't lesser, the two boys are twins! So what if one twin had done something making him famous, by inheritance rights, they should still be equals, shouldn't they?  
>Draco shook his head, he should stop trying to think like his father, it was just making his head hurt.<p>

"Draco!"

The sudden shout made him jump. "Tracy?"

The girl in question smiled and came bounding down the steps to join him. "Hey, Draco! I managed to convince my parents to let me come!" She stopped, as if realizing something, "What are you doing out here in the cold?"

He turned back to face the garden again, "Just thinking."

"_You_? _Thinking_? My word, did you hit your head?" Daphne's voice floated down to him.

Flinching, he put a hand to his head where it had hit the wall this morning. His mother's horrified face floating before his eyes once again.

Neither of the girls seemed to have noticed this action, as Tracy shot back a retort. "Oh, bugger, can't you two give it a rest for once? It's Christmas!"

Daphne paused, seeming to think over her offer, then shrugged. "I'm game if he is."

"Yeah, sure." Draco muttered, trying to compose himself.

Tracy slid down onto the bench next to him, and Daphne beside her.

"It really is…magical tonight isn't it?" Tracy said, gesturing out over the snow covered garden, and the forest beyond. "The snow just makes everything seem, whimsical, almost…unreal."

There was silence for a few moments, until Daphne said, "It just looks like snow to me. The cold, unyielding, oppressor."

"Greengass, that was very depressing." Draco deadpanned.

Daphne shrugged, "What? That's what it is! There is nothing pretty about snow and ice in my opinion."

"Daphne! You have to see the beauty in it!" Tracy lifted up her glove—Dragon-hide, Daphne noticed—"See this snowflake? There's not any other like it, anywhere. If you look at it long enough, you can see all the different patterns. Ice never forms the same exact way twice."

"I suppose it _could_ have a certain_ beauty_ to it," She said 'beauty' as if she wasn't sure that was the word she was thinking, "but I still prefer summer!"

"Fair enough, my favorite season is defiantly winter. What about you Draco?"

Draco looked up, looking a little surprised at being asked, "Uh… I'd have to agree with Tracy, winter is probably my favorite."

"Children?" The three looked up to see Draco's mother standing there. "Would you mind coming back inside? We're about to start serving the food."

Draco licked his lips (a nervous habit he must have picked up at school) and he nodded, "We're coming, mother."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Surrey Charity Orphanage<em>**

**_Dec 24th, 1991_**

"…Jessica?"

Jessica was suddenly snapped out of her shock by Parker's fingers waving in front of her face. "Huh?"

"Are you alright, Jessica? I know this is a bit of a shock—" Harry started, until Jessica cut him off.

"A _bit_?!"

"Okay, a lot." He conceded, "But you were the one that wanted to know!"

"Children, settle down." Matron said from her seat next to Parker.

"_Settle down_? How can I be expected to _settle down_? I've just had everything I've ever thought get thrown out the bloody _window!_"

"_Language_, Jessica!" Matron sighed and looked to Harry.

Harry caught the Matron's meaning, and proceeded to try and calm down the girl. "Jessica, all you've known hasn't been thrown out the window! You just have to tweak it a bit to match the new variables that have been pushed into your life."

Jessica looked as though she wanted to argue about it, but decided not to, "Well, I _suppose_... this is just so... unbelievable"

"But you _do _believe us then? About Hogwarts?" Parker cut in.

"I think I actually do, I mean, call me crazy, but even you couldn't make up a tale _that_ insane! Plus, Harry had to go _somewhere_ for six months." Jessica shrugged seeming placid, though her mind was working a mile a minute.  
>Magic? Logically it should be impossible, but Harry showed her all the evidence, even his wand! Looking at all the whimsical things on the table, she thought they could have popped right out of a fairy-tale.<p>

"Harry?" She said, thinking of something.

"Yeah?"

"I am now expecting something magic-related for Christmas."

"What? But it's Christmas Eve!"

Jessica shrugged, "So?"

"Ugh…" Harry seemed to deflate into the sofa.

Matron laughed before checking the time, "My word, It's not going to be Christmas Eve much longer, you lot up to bed, now."

"But _Matron_!"

"No 'but's Parker, up, now. Or else Father Christmas won't come!"

Parker's eyes lit up, "Come on Harry, Jessi, let's go!" He said, running up the stairs.

Jessica yawned, "I'm coming, I'm coming… I'm emotionally exhausted, anyway."

Harry grinned, then, as if the yawns were catching, yawned as well. "Happy Christmas, Jessica."

"Happy Christmas, Harry."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Potter Home<strong>_

_**Godric's Hollow**_

_**Dec 25th, 1991**_

"Mum, Dad! Wake up, Wake up!" Both adults in the Potter household were suddenly jerked awake by a heavy _thing_ jumping on them.

"Oi! Alex!" James yelled.

"I'm at the door dad." His son said, from the doorway.

"BLACK!"

He turned to see his wife grabbing for her wand, "Don't you _ever_ do that again, or I swear, I _will_ turn you into a poodle again!"

The black dog she was threatening turned back into James' best friend Sirius Black, and nodded. "Yes mam!"

"Now out! James and I need to dress!" She turned to their son, still at the door, "You too, young man! And no presents until we get down there!" She called after them.

James chuckled at his family's actions, "Do you think you were a little hard on him?"

On her way to their bathroom, his wife turned and smiled innocently, simply saying, "No."

"Merlin! I wish mum would've done it! Seeing you as a poodle would've been _priceless_!" Alex laughed at his Uncle's sullen face.

"Oh, yeah, laugh it up! Just wait until she turns _you_ into a rather humiliating animal with a tutu…"

"A tutu? No one ever told me that one!"

Sirius' eyes widened, "Well, it certainly won't be me that tells you!"

A sudden knock on their back door warded off any further questioning.

"That's gotta be Uncle Moony!" Sure enough, Alex opened the door to reveal his godfather, "Uncle Moony!"

Remus smiled and pulled his godson into a hug, "How's my favorite godson?"

Alex rolled his eyes, "I'm your _only_ godson!"

Neither of them noticed Sirius' sad look at their exchange, him thinking of a small boy with bright green eyes.

"Are you _sure_?" Remus said with mischief in his eyes.

"Erm… yes?"

Remus laughed and pulled Alex in for another hug, "I'm just joking, don't worry."

"Oh good." Alex grinned, then pulled away, in favor of sitting back down at the table with Sirius.  
>Remus sat down as well, "Alex, where are your parents?"<p>

"Oh, they're upstairs, getting dressed."

"Ah…"

All of a sudden, there was a clambering from the second level, "JAMES POTTER YOU GIT!"

James ran into the room, "Hey Moony, how've you been?" he asked his friend while searching through the drawers.

"Erm… I've been good James. Might I ask what you're doing?"

James looked up from his frantic search to look at Remus, "Trying to find something to fend off my wife with."

Sirius gave a bark of a laugh, "What did you do this time?"

James looked affronted, "Me? No, this time _I_ was just in the wrong place at the most horribly wrong time."

"There you all are!" Lily glided into the room, glaring at her husband, she stated, "We're talking later."

"Yes, dear."

Lily smiled and turned back to the others in the room, "Well? Who's ready for presents?"

Alex's eyes lit up and he raced into the sitting room, gabbing the first gift he could get his hands on.

* * *

><p><em> <strong>Surrey Charity Orphanage<strong>_

_**Dec 25th, 1991**_

"Alright children, settle down." Charlotte tried to talk over hubbub of excited conversation. "_Alright!_" There was a sudden, surprised silence. She smiled, "Okay, when I call your name, come up and get your gift from Father Christmas."

"Jacob." The red-head popped up and grabbed his, then sat back down.

"Daisy" A young auburn haired girl raced to get her gift.

And so it went, until all the children save for three were outside, playing.

"Matron?"

She turned to face Parker, "Yes?"

"Where are _our_ gifts from Father Christmas?"

Matron smiled and handed the last three gifts to Parker, Jessica, and Harry. "Now, run along, I have work to do."

Once the three were upstairs and alone, they opened their presents.  
>Parker got a book on medieval castles, Jessica got a new stationary, and Harry got a book on sleight of hand.<p>

"Apparently Father Christmas has a sense of humor!" Parker laughed.

Harry smiled, imagining his friends' different reactions to this book. He'd _have_ to show it to them.

"Harry, what's that on your bed?"

Harry looked up at Jessica, then over to his bed, where, sure enough, there was a small pile of gifts. "Huh, my friends must have sent me gifts." He suddenly had a horrible thought, "What if they were expecting something from me? I haven't the money to get them anything!"

Jessica put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure they know that. And if they don't, then they aren't actually your friends."

"Yeah, you're right."

Harry had Parker and Jessica help him open them, because that's half the fun.  
>From Daphne he got a detailed book on wizarding history, which he set aside for later.<p>

From Terry, he got a giant box of Mars Bars, of which Parker was practically drooling over as he opened.

From Tracy, he got a box of Chocolate Frogs and one of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, which intrigued Jessica. "Do they really mean _every _flavor?"

From Draco, he got a green and silver scarf, which was probably the softest thing Harry had ever held. He knew what he would be wearing outside later.

Surprisingly, he got one from Alex. His brother gave him a silver medallion, it was expertly crafted, with a small snake coiled around a book carved into the emerald in the middle.  
>It came with a note, saying that Alex had one to match, but gold with a ruby in the middle, instead of silver with an emerald.<p>

After a few minutes of admiring the amulet, Jessica noticed one last present. "Hey Harry, there's one more here."

Harry picked up the final package, trying to find a tag naming the giver. Finding none, he decided to open it. Once it was open, he gasped "Merlin…"

"What? What is it?" Parker asked curiously.

"It's an invisibility cloak!"

"Well put it on then!" Jessica insisted.

Harry grinned, standing up and swung the cloak onto his shoulders.

"Holy cow! Harry, you're a floating head!" Parker exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Am I really?" Harry shuffled over to the nearest mirror. Looking at his reflection, he found that he was, in fact, a floating head. "Whoa…"

"Harry," Jessica said, causing Harry to look over at her, "I think this note will tell you who it's from."

"Oh, alright then." He shrugged off the cloak, handing it to Parker, and walked back over to Jessica, who was holding out the note.

Opening it, he read the contents, his eyes widening as he did so.

_Harry,_

_This cloak was mine for many years.  
>It was very useful to me and my friends over those years. <em>

_My father passed it to me on my eleventh Christmas,  
>and now, as is custom, I am passing it on to you, my first-born son.<em>

_Please use it well,_

_James  
><em>

"Who's it from, Harry?" Parker asked, still examining the cloak.

"It's from my father."

Parker's and Jessica's eyes widened.

"It used to be his." Harry continued

"But then, why would he give it to you?" Jessica asked.

"It's apparently a family heirloom." Harry shrugged, "I'm very surprised by this." He may have stated the obvious, but that _was_ how he felt.

"I can tell." Parker said, holding out the cloak to Harry. "Here."

"Thanks, Parks." Harry grabbed it and folded it in the neatest way possible.

"Need some space?"

Harry smiled at Jessica, "If you wouldn't mind…"

She smiled back, "We wouldn't." She grabbed Parker's arm and dragged him out the door.

After they'd gone, Harry laid down on his bed, trying to sort out his thoughts.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Potter Home<strong>_

_**Godric's Hollow**_

_**Dec 25th, 1991**_

"Psst, Alex!"

At the Potter household, they had just finished their Christmas dinner, and Lily was in the kitchen cleaning up. Alex was in his room, finishing up on a drawing, using the new set he'd gotten from his godfather.

He looked up to see his father, Remus, and Sirius all standing there. "Uh, yes dad?"

"We wanted to give you this," Sirius said, "As long as you promise us one thing."

"Which is?" Alex urged.

"Don't tell your mother." They chorused.

"Alright, I won't." Alex promised, chuckling. "So, what's so secretive anyway?"

His father handed him a piece of parchment. Alex stared at it, a little worried for the sanity of his father and Uncles, "Dad, this is a piece of parchment."

"Yeah, right now!" James turned to Remus, "Moony, show him!"

Remus smiled at Alex, while pointing his wand at the parchment saying, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

Alex watched in wonder as the ink seemed to spread from the tip of Remus' wand spreading over the entirety of the parchment. Slowly, it came to his attention that writing was slowly covering part of the page.

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs  
>Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers<br>are proud to present  
><em>_THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

_Mr. Moony would like to congratulate Mr. Potter on his good fortune._

_Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to welcome Mr. Potter into the Marauders._

_Mr. Padfoot welcomes Mr. Potter as well, and hopes that he can live up to his father's legend._

_Mr. Wormtail also welcomes Mr. Potter, but would like to say that Mr. Potter can be anyone he wants, no matter what._

Alex smiled up at his father and Uncles, "Thanks!"

His father leaned over and showed him how the map worked, and all the different passageways in the castle.

"Oh," Sirius suddenly exclaimed, "If your mother asks about it, it's in Filch's office."

Alex just nodded, used to his Uncle's antics by now.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, there you have it! The way-to-long-awaited chapter! YAY! *Throws confetti* <strong>

**Again, I hope the characters don't seem too forced. Especially Draco here in this chappie.  
><strong>

**I hope you all have a great December! Hopefully I'll Update before the _actual_ Christmas, so I'll say "Merry Christmas" to you all then.**

**Also, you people who've been reviewing? (You know who you are) I'd just like to thank you all once again, reading your reviews always brightens my day, well, that and they helped me restart the pilot light on my muse.**

**If you guys have any questions about the story, you can either PM me or leave the question[s] in a review, I love answering your questions about this!**

**All the same, until next time, (Which will hopefully be soon)  
><strong>

**NINJA OUT!**


	13. Back To Business

**Disclaimer: I do not own these lovely characters or the amazing Hogwarts, they belong to the equally amazing J.K. Rowling. Alex Henry Potter, however, is mine.**

**A/N: Well, here I am! Back after a year and half of not updating? Wow… it's been**_** that**_** long.**

**Anyway, I'm back! If any of you read my profile, you might know that I posted my new updating schedule *crossed fingers* for **_**weekly**_** updates. I currently have three chapters (Including this one) written up. And I'm working on more. **

**One more thing before we start. I have a new forum called ****'Between the Lines'**** it's a Harry Potter role-play forum. If that's your thing, then come check it out! Link on my profile.**

**Enough of my ranting, here it is at long last, 'Back to Business'…**

**Back to Business**

_**Potter Home**_

_**Godric's Hollow**_

_**Dec 31**__**st**__** 1991  
>Morning<strong>_

"Well, do you have everything?" James Potter asked his wife.

The woman in question glanced around at her many belongings. "Yes, I think I do. Though, I'll have to shrink everything before I apparate."

"Mum!" The two adults heard Alex calling from the stairs, "You nearly forgot all the papers you graded last night! I found them on your desk."

Lily's eyes widened as she hurriedly ran to grab the papers from her son. "Thank-you so much, sweetheart, I'd hate to forget those."

"Mum, are you _sure_ you have to leave again?"

She sighed, "I know you and your Dad don't want me to go, but I have to. Minerva said that Dumbledore wants to go over next term's lesson plans with all the faculty."

"You know, Lils, you could just blow him off." James interjected.

Lily turned to look at her husband, placing a hand on his shoulder, "As much as I hate the man, he's still my boss. I have to go. Plus, my cohorts give me good advice." She smiled sadly, pivoting to face her belongings. _"Diminuendo" _her bags shrunk to the size of doll luggage.

"Here Mum, let me help." Alex requested, taking her purse from her, he gathered the little bags and put them all in his mum's purse.

"Thanks, Alex." She turned all the way around one last time before she left.

"Maybe, while you're gone, Dad and I can go visit Harry!" Alex exclaimed excitedly, looking to his father. Harry had given Alex his address for letters, and the boy was determined to go visit his twin.

James started to say something, looking to Lily for guidance, but before he could so much as open his mouth, the doorbell rang. "Lils, we weren't expecting someone today, were we?"

Lily shook her head as she headed to the door, "No, I was leaving so we weren't supposed to have anyone over."  
>The redhead opened the door and peeked out, her eyes widening as she saw who it was. In a moment, she flung the door open wide, exclaiming, "Remus? What on Earth are you doing here?"<p>

"Sorry Lily to barge in on your Holiday, but, James, you're needed at the Ministry, there's been a problem _down below."_ Remus explained.

James' eyes widened, he nodded curtly, and ran to get his coat.

"I really am sorry to steal him from you during the Holidays, but it's very important." Remus said to Lily and Alex.

Lily nodded, she understood. James worked in the Department of Mysteries, emergencies 'down there' were very dangerous and would likely keep James for several hours, or even a few days.

James quickly returned, kissing his wife and son on his way out, "See you all soon, I love you." With that, he strode out the door after Remus.

Alex turned to look at his mother, "Does this mean I'm going with you, to Hogwarts? Dad won't be back for a while."

Lily grinned, "Yep, ol' buddy, ol' pal! It's you and me at Hogwarts for the rest of the Holidays!" she side-hugged her son, before pushing him toward the stairs. "Head on up and pack, I'd hate to be late!"

Alex grinned and raced up the stairs to his room.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry <strong>_

_**Dec 31**__**st**__**, 1991**_

_**Late Afternoon**_

Sirius Black had decided he was officially an idiot.

The man in question sat at his desk at Hogwarts, staring at a small wrapped gift. The gift he had _meant_ to give to his godson the moment he finally talked to the boy.  
>Of course, he'd made that resolution September 1st, before school had started, and along with it, his busy schedule. Apparently, dueling was a much more popular subject than he had anticipated.<p>

He was full up in classes, practically every student, third year and up, was in attendance at his classes twice per week. Sirius had even taken to eating his meals in his classroom to hide from all the _helpful_ students that would try to give him lesson tips and pointers, which at first he found helpful, but now he had learned that were extremely annoying.

As of such, he had no interaction with his godson whatsoever.  
>Then of course, he had the brilliant idea that he could have given it to Harry as a Christmas gift…one week <em>after<em> Christmas.  
>Ergo, he had come to his enlightening conclusion of his own idiocy.<p>

Sirius was pulled out of his self-shaming musings by a soft knock to his door. "Come in."

The door slowly swung open to reveal Alex Potter. "Heya, Sirius!"

"Alex? Why are you back at Hogwarts? Students aren't due back for another week!" Sirius exclaimed.

Alex made a face, "I didn't realize you'd go all stuffy when you became a teacher Padfoot." Sirius glared at him, and the boy in question grinned before continuing, "Anyway, I'm here with my Mum, Dad got called into work."

Sirius slowly relaxed, "Sorry pup, I've just been swamped with so many children day in and day out. Until break started of course. I'm not ready for my blessed respite to be over." He paused to give Alex another dirty look, "And I am not _stuffy._"

Alex laughed, "Yeah, I don't figure that'll ever happen."

Sirius grabbed his chest dramatically, "Of course not!"

"You're such a goof, Padfoot." Alex stated, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Sirius leaned forward, "How's it coming with that beast on the third floor? You know what's up with that yet?"  
>Even though he was considered faculty, Sirius hadn't been told the mystery of the third floor.<p>

So when Alex came and told him about the Cerberus guarding a trap door, he had helped Alex and his friends any way he could. As well as searching for information through his own channels.  
>After all, having a Cerberus in a school full of children was dangerous enough, Sirius almost didn't want to know what <em>else<em> the old man could be hiding down there.  
>Sirius figured that if he'd found anything he considered dangerous, he'd call Lily and they'd team up to confront Dumbledore. Recently though, despite all his efforts, he hadn't found much of anything, and was hoping the kids had gotten further than he did.<p>

Alex's eyes lit up at his uncle's question, "Well, Hagrid let slip that the dog is guarding something that has to do with Nicholas Flamel, so this holiday Ron and I were supposed to look in the Hogwarts and Potter libraries to see if we could find anything about him."

"Well, did you?" Sirius urged.

Alex grinned and nodded, "I found this in the Potter library," the redhead handed '_Great Alchemy Feats of History' _to Sirius. "He's known for so many things though, so I can't decipher which one is hidden beneath the school."

Sirius leafed through the book, "It's probably the Philosopher's Stone."

"The Philosopher's Stone?" Alex questioned.

Sirius nodded, finding the page with the stone on it, "See, it's here. Flamel and his wife use it to make the Elixir of Life. It can also turn metal into gold."

"Why do you think it's that one?"

The older man sighed, leaning back in his old leather chair "Well the thing is Pup, Dumbledore doesn't think our dear Voldy is dead. The headmaster thinks he's in hiding, bodiless, and in search of a host. And if that's true, this stone could help the psycho live for a very long time."

"Then why would Snape be after it?"

Sirius sat up, his body language betraying his surprise. "What makes you think Snivilus is after it?"

Alex shrugged, "He tried to curse my broom during my first Quidditch game, and then he tried to get past the dog on Halloween!"

"How do you know he went after the dog on Halloween? Weren't you a bit, erm, _preoccupied?"_

"I saw him showing the bite to Filch and talking to him about it."

The older man sat back in his chair again, "Alex, I know the guy is a slimy snake, but I really don't think he'd go after the stone."

Alex stared at his uncle for a moment before responding, "Why?"

"The man helped put up protections for it." Sirius might not have deduced _what_ it was that was hidden beneath the school, but he _had_ managed to weasel out who had helped put up protections for it.

The Gryffindor's eyes widened, "What? You mean the dog isn't the only protection?"

"Nope, five professors also put in protections from what I gather."

"Which five professors?" Alex asked.

"Flitwick let it slip during the holiday party, he'd had quite a bit of firewhiskey…" Sirius chuckled, but stopped at the look from Alex, "Alright, alright. The dwarf said that He himself, McGonagall, Sprout, Quirrell, and Snape were the ones who put up the protections. I don't think Snape would agree to help protect the stone if he was just going to steal it later." Sirius stated.

"Oh," Alex stood up and grinned at his uncle, "Thanks for the advice Padfoot! Ron and Hermione will go bonkers when I tell them all this!" He waved and ran out the door.

Sirius chuckled at the boy's antics, but his mind quickly wandered to darker thoughts. If Snape wasn't after the stone, who was?  
>The dark haired man looked down at the present still sitting atop his desk. Sighing, he put it back in a drawer, he promised himself he would give it to Harry soon, and talk to him as well. First, he needed to figure out who was out to steal the stone and hurt his nephew, at least before said nephew decided to take matters into his own hands. Or before the thief makes their move.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Gryffindor First Year Boy's Dorm<strong>_

_**Dec 31**__**st**__** 1991**_

_**Early Evening**_

Alex had run all the way from his uncle's office, and by the time he had reached the dorm, he was heaving and coughing up a storm.

"Merlin's beard! Alex? Are you alright?" Alex's redheaded best friend was at his side in a moment.

"I'm…fine…just let me…breathe…" Alex wheezed out.

"Oh, right." Ron mumbled as he backed up.

As soon as Alex caught his breath, Ron was quizzing him. "Oi, mate, why are you here so soon, I mean- not that I mind the company, but isn't a bit early?"

Alex nodded, sitting on his bed with a groan, "Mum had to come back and Dad was called into work."

"Oh, right." Ron nodded mirroring Alex actions, sans the groan, "So did you find anything? I couldn't find anything in the library, I figure all the good stuff is in the Restricted Section." He shrugged, paging through a Quidditch book.

Alex left his bed to sit next to Ron. "Mate, I found out so much! I also had a talk with Sirius."

"Really? What'd you find out?" Ron threw the book in his trunk and turned to Alex, giving him his full attention.

"Well," Alex started, "I think the thing the dog is protecting is something called the Philosopher's Stone."

Ron, confused, asked, "The Philosopher's Stone? What's that?"

"It's what makes the Elixir of Life, and apparently it can also turn metal into gold. That stone is the reason Nicholas Flamel has lived so long."

"Merlin…what else did you find out?"

Alex explained everything he had found, including his talk with Sirius.

"Wait, so he doesn't think that it's Snape that's after the stone?" Ron exclaimed after Alex had finished.

Alex shook his head, "Nope, he thinks Snape is protecting it."

"No bloody way! 'Mione and I saw him trying to curse your broom, he only stopped after she lit the fire! And the bite on this leg, how'd he explain that?"

"He didn't, Ron." Alex placed a hand on Ron's shoulder, "He may think it wasn't Snape, but I still think it is, there's too much evidence against him."

"No joke." Ron agreed, shrugging off Alex's hand.

"So Ron, what have you been up to, other than your research for Hermione?"

"My brothers, Fred and George and I, we got into a snowball fight! They won, 'cause they teamed up on me."

Alex laughed, heading over to his trunk to look for his PJ's "'Course they did."

Ron looked out the window near his bed, deep in thought for a few moments, before he tuned to Alex, and spoke sharply, "Alex, if I tell you something, will you promise never to tell anyone else, ever?"

Alex, shocked into silence, nodded his assent.

Ron sighed and continued, "Well, one of the nights I was out in the Library, trying to figure out how to get into the restricted section, I was out there really late, 'cause I didn't want any teachers seeing me poking around over there."  
>He stopped for a breath, "Of course, Filch's cat found me blundering around back there shortly after I'd started. I did the only smart thing I could think of, and ran, straight out of there."<p>

"Ron, what's so secretive about you running from Mrs. Norris?" Alex interjected.

"Hold it, I'm not done yet!" Ron shushed his friend, "After I ran out of the library, I tried to duck into the first room I could, to hide from Filch, of course, with my luck, it was locked. So I used that spell of Hermione's… Merlin, what was it?"

"_Alohomora?_"Alex tiredly suggested_. _

"Yeah! That was it! So I used that and I ran into the room. I could hear Filch run right past me, mumbling curses and stuff about students out of bed."

"Okay, so you escaped from Filch, still not seeing the point of this story."

"Well, inside the room, I found… a _mirror_." Ron said, ominously.

"OOOOH, I'm so scared. What's so important about this mirror?" Alex asked, sending his soft, comfy bed sideways looks.

"Maybe it's better off I show you." Ron explained, grabbing Alex's hand and dragging him out of the dorm and away from the sleep he so desired.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts Castle<strong>_

_**First Floor Corridor **_

_**Abandoned Classroom**_

_**Late Evening, Dec 31**__**st**__** 1991**_

A few minutes and several staircases later, Ron busted open the door to the room he'd been talking about. "See!" He said to Alex, who came tumbling in after Ron.

"Yeah, it's a mirror. It's a pretty mirror, but it's still a mirror." Alex stood and dusted himself off, "Did you have to drag me all the way down here, for a mirror?"

"Oh, come off it! Come over here and look! It's not _just _a mirror." Ron drug Alex over in front of the mirror. Even Alex had to admit, the mirror was grand, it's ornate gold frame reached as high as the vaulting ceiling of the unused classroom they were in, and the inscription around the top read: _Erised stra ehru oy ube cafru oyt on wohsi.* _

All of the mirror's beauty was not lost on Alex, but the thing that most caught his eye was what the mirror was showing.

At first, it had just been him reflected in the mirror, not Ron or anyone else standing next to him. Then all of a sudden, _Harry_ was standing there leaning on Alex, along with their parents, and his two Uncles. Alex touched his shoulder where Harry was leaning, half expecting to feel his brother there. In the mirror, he and Harry looked so comfortable together, not awkward and bumbling like reality.  
>"Ron, what is this thing?" Alex asked, without moving his eyes away from the mirror.<p>

"Wicked, isn't it?" Ron smiled at Alex, "What do you see?"

"My family…" Alex said slowly. "Everyone, even Harry, just happy to be together. Do you not see that?"

"What?" Ron's eyes shifted back and forth between the mirror and Alex, "Oh, no. I see… erm… I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore, I've just won the house cup." He said quickly.

"But, how…" Alex trailed off, looking back at his family.

"Dunno, maybe it shows the future?"

Alex shook his head, "No I don't think so…"

"Either way, it's neat, isn't it?"

Alex shrugged, all he wanted to do right then was go back up to his dorm and sleep. "Let's go back to the dorm. I'm tired."

"But, Alex! It's New Year's Eve! Don't you want to stay up and celebrate? My brother's even got some butterbeer!"

"You guys enjoy it." Alex took Ron's arm and began pulling him out of the room. "Let's go."

Ron stole one last look at the mirror and then conceded. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<strong>_

_**Great Hall **_

_**Sunday Jan 5**__**th**__**, 1992**_

For Alex, the past week alone in Gryffindor tower, with just the Weasley boys for company had been great! They'd had snowball fights and they played Quidditch. Alex and Ron ended up playing a lot of Wizard's Chess. The two of them hadn't been back to the Mirror of Erised since that night, though that didn't mean it hadn't been on their minds.

For Sirius and Lily, it had been their last week of freedom before students came back. Their time was spent refining techniques and looking for lesson plans that they'd hidden somewhere.(Sirius) Rr at Hogsmeade relaxing at the Three Broomsticks chatting with Rosemerta.(Lily) Both of them spent time with Alex during the week, when he wasn't otherwise involved with the Weasleys.

Later that day, everyone would be coming back from holiday. That meant Alex and the Weasleys would be back to school and Lily and Sirius would be back to full time teachers.

"You know, this is the last time we'll have a quiet meal until Easter hols?" Sirius said, chewing on a piece of chicken.

"Black, chew with your mouth closed." Lily admonished, "I suppose once the children get here, you'll retreat back into your office again?"

"I dunno, maybe?" Sirius shrugged, reaching for another piece of chicken.

At that moment, Filius Flitwick ran into the Hall, "The students are here! The train just arrived in Hogsmeade!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogsmeade Station<strong>_

_**Hogsmeade Village, Scotland**_

_**Sunday, Jan 5**__**th**__**, 1992**_

"Carriages are to your left! Welcome back to school students!" The train conductor shouted as all the students were exiting the train.

"Merlin, I'm glad to be back!" Terry exclaimed as he jumped down from the train, "Seeing my family was nice, but I missed this place!"

"Doesn't _everyone_ miss it when they leave here?" Tracy shouted to be heard over all the other chatter.

"Stop your chit-chatting, let's get to a carriage!" Daphne commanded, grabbing on to Tracy's arm and beckoning to the others.

"Let's go, before she comes back here to grab us too." Draco stated, following after Daphne.

Harry grinned and tapped Terry and Draco on their shoulders, they turned to him and he said, "Last one there is a rotten egg!" and he ran ahead of even Daphne.

Harry did, in fact, end up being the first one to a carriage. He jumped into the carriage, only to jump onto something that was warm, bushy and that squeaked.

"Oh, sorry!" He exclaimed, moving off of the girl he had accidentally jumped on.

"It's quite alright, you surprised me more than anything else." Said the girl, she had bushy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, Harry recognized her to be Alex's friend, Hermione something.

"You're Hermione, right? Alex's friend." Harry asked. Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Yes, and you're Harry, Alex's brother." She held out her hand, "Pleasure to officially meet you."

"What in Salazar's name is _she_ doing here?!" Draco, the second one to reach the carriage, announced his presence.

"Draco, bugger off. She's sitting here too." Harry snapped at his friend.

Draco glared at Hermione as he climbed into the carriage.

One by one Harry's other friends arrived, filling the carriage. As soon as the last person's feet left the ground, the carriage started moving.

"I love the countryside around here, especially all covered in snow as it is right now. Don't you?" Hermione said to the Slytherins she was sharing the carriage with.

"They are quite beautiful, don't you agree Terry?" Tracy said, looking pointedly at Terry.

"What? Oh, erm, yeah, they're great." The boy in question replied.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Hermione sighed, "I really am helping in making this ride awkward, aren't I?"

"Just a bit, yeah." Daphne said bluntly, making both Harry and Tracy give her evil looks. Hermione just sighed again, feeling out of place. She felt like she was causing trouble between her friend's brother's friends.

"Daphne!" Tracy admonished, "Is that how a pureblood should act?" She asked her friend mockingly.

Daphne glared back, "I was just stating the truth. She isn't the only one making things awkward, the rest of us aren't exactly adding to the conversation."

"She's got a point mates." Terry agreed.

Hermione's eyes widened, "So you weren't saying that to be mean?"

Daphne gave the muggle-born girl an affronted look, "Of course not! I would have said the exact same thing if anyone else had said what you did."

Harry sent Hermione an apologetic look, "She's probably being honest on that note." He shrugged, "That's Daphne for you."

"_Probably_?!" Daphne's voice interjected.

"That's alright," Hermione gave a small smile, ignoring Daphne's interjection, "I suppose I'm simply not used to her."

Harry grinned back, "Yeah, it does seem to take people a while to warm up to her."

"Why am I even friends with you anyway?" Daphne said icily to Harry.

Harry's grin got bigger, "I'm a jovial sort of guy."

Daphne rolled her eyes and frowned deeper, trying to hide the grin that was fighting to come up. "_Whatever_."

Tracy, who had watched this whole exchange quietly, spoke up saying, "Well at least it's not awkward anymore."

Daphne, who was avoiding looking at Harry, looked towards the other two boys in the compartment. They appeared to be arguing about something. "What are the two of you bickering about?"

Both boys looked up, startled, "Nothing!" they chorused.

"Now boys, it's not polite to keep secrets." The brunette admonished.

"Now Greengass, it's not proper to act like our mother." Draco retorted in the same tone.

Daphne scoffed, "I am _not_ acting like your _mother_."

Before an argument could start, Tracy cut in, "Just what exactly _are_ you boys doing over there?"

Terry and Draco looked at each other, nodded, and brought out a book. Daphne snatched the book up and quickly read the cover aloud, "_Tricks and Secrets of Hogwarts Castle _by S. O. Black. What the blazes is this?"

"My mum got it for me for Christmas, I showed to Draco to see if he knew about any of them." Terry explained.

Harry took it and studied it, "Well did you?" he asked Draco.

Draco shrugged, "I knew a few, not very many though, it would seem that Hogwarts is riddled with many secrets."

Tracy, who had taken the book from Harry, looked at the cover. "The author, S. O. Black, I recognize that name. Who is it?"

Draco nodded, "Yes, you would. He's the head of the Black family, Sirius Black. He works here at Hogwarts as Dueling professor."

"He's Alex's uncle too." Hermione said offhandedly. "Uncle? How does that work?" Harry asked.

"Apparently he was close to your father in school." Hermione shrugged, "Alex didn't say much more than that when I asked."

"Back to the secret passages," Terry said, "I think we should check a few of them out. It even says there's one in here to get to Hogsmeade!"

"And it says exactly where it is?" Tracy asked, surprised.

"Well, no." Draco answered, "Black says he'd hate to have teachers find it and close it up, so he only gave vague clues."

"Bullocks…"

Everyone looked at the petite blonde sitting near the carriage's window in shock, never had they heard such language from her mouth.

"Tracy!" Harry was the first to speak, genuinely surprised at his friend's language.

"What? Having a passage to Hogsmeade would be really useful! We can't even go there until third year, and I need my chocolate fix." The girl in question defended herself.

"I'm sure we can find it!" Daphne said determinedly, snatching the book from Terry again. "Though, the thing is, going looking during the day, it would be troublesome."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Teachers might notice, and take the book so we can't go searching again." Terry answered for her, snatching his book back.

"Well…" Harry hesitated before continuing, "What if we had an invisibility cloak?"

"It would be helpful, but where would we find something as rare as that?" Tracy asked, "I mean, sure some places in Diagon have them, but they're cheaply made and the enchantment doesn't last more than a couple of weeks."

"Oh." Harry paused, collecting his thoughts, "What if _I_ had one?"

"_You_? An _invisibility cloak_? I highly doubt it." Draco said, unbelieving.

"No, really!" Harry started rummaging through his shoulder bag, he slowly pulled out a slivery almost translucent fabric. "I have one."

"Merlin's beard!" Tracy ran her fingers over the fabric, "This is the real deal! A legitimate invisibility cloak."

"You have an invisibility cloak?" Hermione asked, surprised. "Does it work?"

"Yeah!" Harry grinned before throwing the fabric over his head. "I've disappeared, haven't I?"

And he had disappeared, except for his feet, which the cloak didn't cover while he was sitting, Harry Potter had completely disappeared.

'_This could be useful._' Hermione thought, filing away the knowledge for later use.

"That is so amazingly brilliant that I can hardly put it into words." Terry said, astounded.

At that moment, the carriage rolled to a halt, and a voice called out. "Welc'm bac' ta school!"

Hagrid, the grounds keeper was standing there, holding a lantern.

Hermione, being nearest to the door, smiled at the others saying, "Well it was nice meeting you all!" before stepping outside to brave the cold.

"Bye Hermione!" Harry yelled after her. She paused and waved back at him before continuing her run up to the castle.

"Well, shall we?" Harry asked his friends, after they'd all gathered their belongings. Following a series of nods, Harry held his cloak closed and jumped out into the snow, sprinting for the castle.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry<strong>_

_**Entrance Hall**_

_**Sunday Jan 5**__**th**__** 1992**_

"Oi! There she is!" Ron Weasley exclaimed, pointing out their friend to Alex.

"Yep, that's her!" Alex said jumping up and down for warmth, "Of course she's in one of the last carriages. I wish she's hurry up, it's cold in here."

Ron gave Alex a look, "Who's idea was it to leave our cloaks in the dorm?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Shut up." Alex retorted.

"Hey guys!" Hermione ran into the entrance hall, "You both look cold."

"Well _someone_ had the bright idea to leave our cloaks in our dorm." Ron explained, giving Alex a sideways look.

"Well, why didn't you just use a warming charm?" The boys both gave Hermione blank looks. She sighed and waved her wand in a complicated motion. "_Foveo_"**

Immediately both boys felt warmth surrounding their bodies. Alex said, "Thanks Hermione."

"You're welcome." She turned to Ron as they began their long walk back to Gryffindor tower "Did you find anything?"

"Nothing that'd help us." Ron said, shrugging with his hands in his pockets. "What'd you find?"

"Not all that much… a few tidbits here and there, but nothing conclusive." Hermione answered before turning to Alex, "Did you find anything?"

Alex grinned, "I found out almost everything we need to know."

Hermione's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Yep. I'll tell you when we get back to the tower."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh look! Could it be? A **_**plot **_**in its natural habitat? My word, it is! I have finally found it! **

**Sorry there wasn't as much of Harry and friends in this chapter, Sirius made is official debut though! And lots of Alex was needed for the plot to come round.  
>There's quite a bit of Alex in the next chapter too, but there's also a lot of Harry.<strong>

**See you all next week!**

**NINJA OUT!**

***That's the exact wording on the Mirror of Erised, it's not mine, I lay no claim to it. It's J.K. Rowling's through and through.**

******_**Foveo**_**: Not a cannon incantation. There isn't one for the warming spell and '**_**incendeo' **_**is flames/burning/death. '**_**Foveo' **_**is Latin for warm.**


	14. Into the Depths

**Disclaimer: J.K. owns Harry Potter and all characters that go along with him. I own Alex Potter.**

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I know I'm late, but this time, I am only two days late, not two years! I had busy weekend.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters, you are what keeps my muse alive! **

**Anyway, This chapter was a lot of fun to write, I hope you will all enjoy it. **

**Into The Depths**

_**Hogwarts Castle**_

_**Friday, May 30**__**th**__**, 1992**_

_**Library**_

It had been over five months since school had begun after the Holidays, in fact, it was nearly time for it to end for the summer. That fact, of course, meant exams were right around the corner. Many were stressing, some were nonchalant, and others were confident about their performance.

There were three children, however, who were not thinking about exams at all on the eve of Friday the 30th of May. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Alex Potter were all bunched over a table in a back corner of the Library. They were doing their best to be inconspicuous, they weren't doing very well, but there wasn't anyone around to hear them anyway.

"I'm telling you, Snape finally got Quirrell to break! Snape now knows how to get past his part of the puzzle! He's got to be going for the stone." Alex exclaimed, to loudly, apparently in Hermione's opinion, as she shushed her friend before looking to see if anyone heard. No one did of course, but the three children were feeling paranoid.

"Not so loud!" She said, after returning to the table. "That may be true, but we need to remember there are still four professor's enchantments protecting the stone, and Fluffy."

"What more is there to look through?" Ron asked, exasperated. "First clue, We see Snape with his leg bitten after trying to get past the dog on Halloween. Clue two, Alex hears Snape try to get Quirrell to give up his info on his protection for the stone. Clue three, Alex just heard Quirrell give in and spill his guts to Snape. What about all this makes you doubt that Snape is going after the stone?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I believe I already said that. Four other protections _and_ Fluffy. He's a smart man, he'll prepare for it further."

"'Mione, he'll lose his chance after term ends, even teachers aren't allowed to stay all year, 'cept maybe Dumbledore." Alex explained, "He's got to go for it now or never!"

"Couldn't he wait till next term?" Hermione asked.

"There's no guarantee that it would still be there. As you said, he's a smart man, I'm sure he'll get past the other four traps." Alex assured his friend.

"And what exactly are you planning on doing with this information?"

"We have to stop him before he gets the stone!" Ron decided.

"No." Hermione shut him down, "We have to tell a _teacher_."

"What? 'Mione, this is _Snape_ we're talking about, there is no bloody way a teacher will believe us if we tell them." Ron countered.

Hermione sighed, "I can't believe I'm even thinking of agreeing agreeing to this insane idea."

"Yeah!" Alex and Ron cheered.

"On the other hand, how are we supposed to get down to the third floor corridor? We certainly can't get down there during the day, and at night there are teachers patrolling. I'm not risking us losing any more points for Gryffindor after what happened last time."

"You've got a point, Hermione." Alex conceded.

"Wouldn't it be great if we could just walk past them?" Ron said wistfully.

"Ron! That's it! You're a genius!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I am?" Ron asked, confused.

"Yes!" Hermione turned to Alex, "Remember how I told you that your brother has an invisibility cloak?"

Alex's eyes widened with realization, "That's brilliant! Then we _could_ walk right past them!"

"Only problem with that plan is your brother." Ron stated, "He might not let us borrow it."

Ron and Hermione looked to Alex, "You need to convince him to let us borrow it, for just one night." Hermione said.

"I'll do my best."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts Castle<strong>_

_**Thursday, June 4**__**th**__**, 1992**_

_**Charms Corridor**_

Harry had just finished his final Charms exam , which he had done rather well on, in his humble opinion. He was walking back towards the Slytherin dungeons when he was sidetracked by his brother.

"Harry!" Alex yelled from behind him. Turning, Harry saw Alex running up behind him wheezing and out of breath. "Thank Merlin I caught up with you. We need to talk."

"Is this about me missing our meeting yesterday?" The twins had been meeting up at least once or twice a week to talk. The past week and a half had been rough with exams, so they hadn't me since the last Wednesday.

"What? No. I just figured you were busy, what with exams and all." Alex answered, having finally caught his breath.

"Oh, right." Harry grinned, "At least they're over now!" For that Harry was extremely glad, exams had taken up most of his and his friend's time so they hadn't been able to work on finding the hidden passageways. The five of them had been sneaking out every other night to explore the castle, using Terry's book as a guide. They still hadn't found that passageway to Hogmeade yet, but Harry could feel that they were _so_ close. Now that exams were over, they were free to continue on that. After getting some much needed sleep, of course.

"Yeah," Alex gave a half-hearted smile. "Uh, so I was wanting to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Can I borrow your invisibility cloak?"

Harry's eyes widened and he frowned slightly, "How did you—" Then he remembered , "Oh, Hermione told you about that then."

"Er…Yeah. Sorry."

"It's alright, if I didn't want you knowing I wouldn't have gotten it out in front of her." Harry's smile returned.

"Brilliant! So, can I borrow it?" Alex' eyes and tone were hopeful.

"Why?"

"Er…what?"

"Why do you need my cloak?" Harry expanded his question.

"Oh, erm… that bit…Well you see, we need it to—"

"Lie." Harry deadpanned.

"What?"

"You're a really bad liar, I've learned that. Don't you think that at least I deserve the truth?"

Alex sighed, if he'd known this was going to be this hard, he probably would have told Ron and Hermione that they needed another way. _Gryffindor courage, now's the time to use it. _He thought then said to his brother, "It's sort of a long story."

Harry flicked his wrist up, as though he were looking at a watch, then looked back at Alex. "I think I have time."

"Alright, but not here." Alex grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him into an abandoned classroom to explain everything.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts Castle<br>**_

_**Thursday, June 4**__**th**__**, 1992**_

_**Gryffindor Common Room**_

_**Late Afternoon**_

Hermione checked the time again. "I really hope he comes back with the cloak."

Ron lounged deeper into the chair he was sitting in, "Come on, 'Mione, he's the one who said he wanted to go tonight, if he doesn't get the cloak, we'll just have to use plan 'B'"

Hermione, startled, looked at Ron, "What plan 'B'?"

"We talked about this, didn't we? We were gonna be smart and use that map Alex's dad gave him."

"Oh… well. I suppose. Having the cloak would still help."

"No kidding." Ron shrugged, grabbing a pillow from the couch and putting it behind his head.

A few minutes later, there were a few murmurs through the common room as the Fat Lady swung open and Alex Potter entered dragging his _Slytherin_ brother into the _Gryffindor_ common room. "Come on Harry! This way!"

Harry slowly entered awkwardly waving at a few of the other Gryffindor students, all of whom were staring at him and his emerald green tie.

"_Harry_!" Alex's face reappeared through the crowd of red and gold, waving Harry over. Harry smiled at the other students before making his way over towards Alex.

"Alex, what were you thinking bringing Harry in here?" Ron Weasley asked abruptly.

"Ron! Don't be rude! Yes, he's a _Slytherin_, but he's nice." Hermione scolded her friend.

"Hey Hermione, Ron." Harry waved at them, then turned to his over enthusiastic brother. "Alex, why _am_ I in here? Not that I'm complaining, of course, but some of your friends over there don't seem to like having me in here."

"What?" Alex looked behind him, but quickly turned back. Waving off his fellow Lion's awkward glaces and looks he said, "Nevermind them. Ron, Hermione, Harry is coming with us tonight."

"What?!" Both Gryffindors said at the same time.

"I know, I tried to talk him out of it, but that's the only way we get to use the cloak." Alex admitted.

"What you're doing is dangerous and incredibly stupid." Harry said, glaring at Alex.

"So you want to come with?" Ron said sarcastically.

"I'm coming to make sure you lot don't kill yourselves."

Alex stopped the conversation from devolving any further by interjecting, "Right, so what time should we meet, and where should we meet?"

"I'd say around 11, to make sure everyone is in bed before you come out." Harry said, thinking it through, "And I'll be waiting outside the portrait."

"Don't you want to meet us halfway? I mean, we can't ask you to some all the way up here, just to go back down again." Hermione objected.

"I have an invisibility cloak, you don't. It's safer this way." Harry stood, straightening his robes. "See you later."

"Well, that was quicker than most of our discussions about this, Harry really sped things up." Ron stated.

"Come on, let's get to dinner." Alex said, picking up his bag.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts Castle<strong>_

_**Thursday, June 4**__**th**__**, 1992**_

_**Outside the Gryffindor Common room**_

Harry waved his wand, checking the time again. 11:06. He had gotten there early, underestimating the time it took to get from the Dungeons to here, but now he was regretting that. '_What is taking them so long?'_ He thought, exasperated as he watched Nearly Headless Nick make his fourth pass through this corridor. _'Four minutes until he comes through again. If he doesn't get sidetracked.' _ Harry grinned from under the cloak. '_What's the harm in a little mischief?' _

Harry picked up a small pebble from the ground near where he was crouched. Twirling his wand he put a noise charm on it and banished it off to an abandoned classroom three corridors down. '_Five...four...three...two...one...'_ **_BOOM! _**The be-speckled boy may not have learned how to make a pebble _actually_ explode, but he sure knew how to make one sound like it. In the distance he could hear Nick yelling for Filch, his yells slowly fading off into the distance. _'Back to waiting...'_ Harry sighed and settled back down on the floor.

Naught but two minutes later, at exactly 11:10 PM the three Gryffindors Harry had been waiting for tumbled out of their common room. "Blimey Hermione, I can't believe you just did that!" Ron Weasley yelled for all the world to hear.  
>Harry, still under his cloak, stood, glided up behind him, and hissed, "Do you want the teachers to find us?"<p>

The three Gryffindors jumped, "Harry, Bloody Hell! Don't scare us like that!" Alex blurted out.

Harry let the hood of the cloak fall to his shoulders. "Well then stop yelling. You lot are the ones that wanted to sneak out."

"Yes, right. Let's get going before Snape steals the stone." Ron said, motioning to Harry to lift the cloak for the rest of them.

"Wait? You think Professor Severus is trying to steal the stone?" Harry asked incredulously.

"You've got to be kidding me! We don't have time for this!" Weasley turned to Alex, "You didn't tell the snake that we suspected his master?"

"Ron! That was uncalled for!" Hermione shouted. At this, Ron began defending himself and Alex kept saying "I swear I thought I told him, I swear it!"

Now Harry was glad that he'd distracted the ghost, otherwise they would have been found out.

Finally, Harry'd had enough. "Shut. _Up_." He said firmly, just loud enough to be heard over the hubbub the three were creating.

Immediately the three quieted.

"While I do care that you think my head of house is responsible for this, I am not going to leave you standing here because we disagree. In fact I have all the more reason to come along, to prove him innocent." Harry stated, lifting his cloak. "Well, come on, we don't have all night."

With that, the trio scurried under the invisibility cloak and set off for the third floor corridor.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hogwarts Castle<strong>_

_**Thursday, June 4**__**th**__**, 1992 **_

_**Third Floor Corridor**_

_**11:30PM**_

They arrived to find an open door just inside they could see the dog snoozing peacefully to music that was being played by a spell. The spell was slowly wearing off though, meaning the caster was long gone.

As they all took this in, dread settled upon three of them at what was facing them. The thief was already here. "You know, if you three want to go back, you can." Alex said selflessly, standing before his friends and brother, "I can do this on my own."

"Sorry to sound cliché, but stop being such a selfless Gryffindor. We're coming too." Harry said.

Hermione and Ron repeated line along the same sentiment, but with less bite.

"Start playing, I think Snape's spell is wearing off." Ron said, nudging Alex.

Alex nodded, and with his flute to his lips, he stepped into the room

Harry watched in horror and a bit of awe as the _giant_ Cerberus that had been waking up was slowly lulled back to sleep by his brother's flute playing. When it yawned, Harry saw it's teeth, it's _huge_, nightmare inducing teeth.  
>The second the dog's heads hit the floor again, Hermione and Ron rushed past Harry and began shifting one of its paws. Ron looked over at Harry, "Well, are you going to help?"<br>Harry shook his head to rid the image of the teeth, nodded, and went to help them push.

After several minutes of pushing, the paw finally gave way to reveal a trap door. Ron and Harry lifted it, finding a black abyss of darkness below their feet. "What now? There's no ladder!" Harry stated.

"Now mate?" Ron grinned, "We jump." He said, and proceeded to do exactly that. He landed with a comforting "Oomph!" Which was not the 'Splat' Harry was, admittedly, expecting.

"Don't worry guys!" Ron called up, "Soft landing!"

_'Soft landing?!_ _T__here was no way a fall that far down was a soft landing.' _Harry thought cynically, '_Do Gryffindors always leap before they look, or is it just him?'_

Hermione exhaled a sigh of relief when she heard Ron call up. "Well, I suppose I'm next?"

Alex made a noise and tapped her on the shoulder, then pointing to himself. 'Me next' was the general meaning.

"I'll take the flute." Harry offered, moving to stand next to his twin. Alex nodded and Harry counted down from three with his left hand, his right poised to take the flute.  
>The switch took less than a second, and a second later Harry was playing. The silence caused the beast to shift, making Hermione nervous.<br>"Come on Alex, jump!"

"On it." He said before jumping, also landing with a thud at the bottom. "Blimey, what is this stuff?" He addressed Ron.

"Dunno, some sort of plant thing, but I'm glad it's here, otherwise I'd be a pancake."

Hermione rolled her eyes and jumped down to join the boys. THUD "Merlin, we must be miles below the school…" She trailed off.

THUD Harry had jumped down almost directly after her, he could hear the beast above thrashing the second after he removed the flute from his lips. '_It woke up quickly' _He thought, astonished.

"Yeah, lucky this plant thing's here, am I right?"

'_Plant thing?'_ Harry looked down at himself to see the 'plant thing' twirling around his ankles. Quickly he got up and ran in—well, he didn't even know what direction, he just hoped it was away from _that_.

Reaching the wall, he heard Hermione yell, "Lucky? Look at you! Harry has the right idea!"

He turned around to see the other two boys struggling to get free. Harry quickly noticed that it wasn't helping, in fact it just seemed to be hindering their escape. "Stop moving! It's not helping!" He shouted.

"No, no! He's right! I know what this is! It's Devil's Snare!" Hermione yelled.

"Well, thank you Hermione for that kind insight into the name of the plant that is _trying to kill us_" Ron bellowed back at her, continuing his struggle with the plant.

"Shut up! I'm trying to remember how to kill it!"

"Well hurry up! I can't breathe!" Alex choked.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… oh, what did the Professor say?"

"It likes the dark and damp!" Harry remembered.

"So start a fire!" Alex rasped.

"But I don't have any wood!" Hermione said despondently.

"ARE YOU BLOODY CRACKERS?!" Ron yelled at the top of his lungs, "ARE YOU A WITCH OR AREN'T YOU?"

"Oh! Of course!" Hermione waved her wand and shouted, "_Incendio!_"

Red flames billowed out of her wand, causing the plant to shrink back away from the burning light and heat, the boys managed to break free and run over to Harry and Hermione.  
>"This way!" Alex said pointing to a stone passageway, their only way forward.<p>

As soon as they were in the passageway, both redheads of the party turned to Hermione and expressed their genuine thanks. "Really though Hermione? 'No wood'?" Ron scoffed at her.

Hermione blushed and said, "Yes, well, let's keep moving."

As they continued, Alex told a couple jokes to lighten the mood, but Harry just took in his surroundings. Being all the way down here reminded Harry of Severus' description of Gringotts. With a jolt, he remembered the stories of dragons at the old bank and turned to the laughing trio, "You don't think there are," He paused, "dragons down here, do you?"

Ron looked him in the eye, "I highly doubt it. They wouldn't bring a dragon to a school full of children, don't you think?"

"Well they brought a Cerberus." Harry mumbled.

"Shhh!" Alex said from ahead of them, "Do you hear that?"

If he really listened, Harry could make out a faint sound of rustling or klinking in the distance.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" Asked Hermione, shivering slightly.

"Naw, sounds more like… wings to me." Ron said.

They ran to the end of the passageway opening the door they found there. The chamber they found was well lit with high arched ceilings and another door on the other side. "This is way too simple, I mean, it's just a door!" Alex made to go across the room to the door, but he was stopped by Harry's arm holding him back.  
>"I don't think it's that simple." The dark haired boy said, pointing up.<p>

All four of them looked up and saw little bird-like things flying up above their heads.

"Do you think they'll attack if we just run across?" Hermione asked.

Alex grinned at Hermione, "Only one way to find out!" He stated before running across the room with his hands over his head. He was expecting to be attacked at any time, but the expected attack never came, and he reached the other side without incident. "Huh, I was expected to have my eyes pecked out by now."

Harry was starting to notice a pattern of the Gryffindor Leap-Before-You-Look-Syndrome, the deadly disease showing up in the Lions there with him beneath the school. They were going to get themselves killed!

"Not funny Alex!" Hermione called over to him, seeming to have the same sentiments as Harry. _'At least she's sane.' _Harry thought.

"Sorry!" He said chuckling. Alex turned to open the door, only to find it locked. "It's locked!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and hurried over, casting glances at the birds occasionally. "_Alohamora._" She waved her wand at the door, expecting it to be unlocked, she turned the handle. "I can't believe it! It didn't work!"

"What?" Now Ron ran over and tried the door.

While the Gryffindors were studying the door, Harry studied the room. This _had_ to be one of the challenges. Alex had mentioned five professors had a hand in protecting it. So which one built this challenge?  
>Sprout was out, the Devil's Snare was obviously hers, and Alex had mentioned something about the dog belonging to Hagrid. That left Snape, Flitwick, McGonagall, and Quirrell.<p>

After surveying the room, it seemed that the only odd things were the birds and the brooms over in the corner. It was very unlikely to have anything to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, or Muggle Studies, so Harry felt he could safely rule out Severus and Quirrell.

The only two remaining would be McGonagall and Flitwick, Transfiguration and Charms.  
>The brooms, Harry had to admit, were a point in McGonagall's favor, that woman did love her Quidditch. But the birds…upon closer inspection, they didn't act like proper birds. Their flight patterns were erratic, and they never landed. And there was a faint 'tink' whenever one ran into another, more like metal. And flying metal things meant they were charmed, so this had to be Flitwick's challenge.<p>

Metal charmed to fly, plus broomsticks, add in a locked door… "Ah ha!"

All three of the room's other occupants jumped at Harry's sudden exclamation.  
>"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked.<p>

"I've figured out the challenge!"

"Challenge? It's just a bloody door!" Ron retorted.

"Is it? If it were a regular door, it would have been unlocked when you used the un-locking spell on it, wouldn't it?"

"Well, yeah." The redhead admitted.

"Then I would suppose, we need a key." Harry pointed to the 'birds' which were, in fact, keys.

"What?" Alex, Ron, and Hermione all looked up at the keys floating through the air.

"How the bloody hell are we supposed to find the right one?" Ron blurted out.

"Never mind that, how are we supposed to get up there?" Alex questioned.

"That second question is easy." Harry pointed to the brooms. "You fly."

"What about my question? Asked Ron.

Hermione's eyes lit as she caught on, "We just have to find the one that matches this lock!"

Alex nodded and walked over to the brooms and took one. After mounting, he said, "Describe the lock.

"Big, and old fashioned." Hermione said "Oh! And silver, like the handle!"

Alex nodded and took off, searching for the key that matched the description. There were so many, glittering and swirling around him, it was hard to focus of finding just one key.

"Hey Alex!" Alex looked down to see Harry looking up at him, "It's probably got a broken or scrunched wing! Like it's been caught before. It'd be flying funny!"

Again, Alex nodded and continued his search. After about a minute of weaving through the rainbow of feathers, he saw it. "I think I see it! That big one, there below me! With the bright blue wings! See it's feathers all crumpled on one side?"

"I see it!" Harry said

"Get ready to catch!" With that Alex went into a dive straight down towards the blue key. The other keys were trying to get out of the way, and the ones that didn't get out of the way fast enough gave Alex a few scratches. He didn't stop though, he could see the blue key getting closer by the second. And then… he had it! He pulled out of his dive right before hitting the floor and he threw the squirming key to Harry, who was standing by the door.

Harry caught the key and immediately shoved it in the lock turning it quickly. He shoved the door open and ran through. Ron and Hermione piled in after him and Alex flew in just before the door shut of its own accord.

"Well, that was fun." Alex wheezed as he dismounted the broom and set it against the wall.

The chamber they now resided in had been pitch black when the entered, but as soon as Ron took a step further into the chamber, it flooded with bright light.

"Merlin's beard…" Ron said, astonished.

He had good reason to be astonished, for standing in front of them was the biggest chessboard any of them had ever seen. Completed with chessmen twice the size of Ron carved from stone. Behind all the pieces, on the other side of the board, was a white door.

"It's beautiful." Ron said as he went to touch the black knight in front of him. The second his fingers graced the cold, black stone it sprung to life. The knight's horse pawed at the ground and made a motion like it was whinnying. The knight himself spun around to look at Ron with his stone eyes. "Do we…er…have to join you to get across?"  
>The knight nodded.<p>

Ron turned to the others, "We have to play chess to get across!" He said, grinning. "I suppose we've got to take the place of four black pieces, then play our way across. This needs thinking about…"  
>Ron started pacing feeling the eyes of his friends, taking note of his every move. Slowly he could feel a chess strategy blossoming in his head his grin grew with his confidence, and he turned to face his friends saying, "I think I can beat this."<p>

"Brilliant!" Alex grinned with his friend, "So what do we have to do?"

Ron thought for another moment, "Harry, you take the place of that rook over there," Ron pointed to the far rook, Harry nodded and took his spot. "Alex, you next to him in place of the bishop," Alex took off to join his twin, Ron turned to Hermione, "And you are going to take the place of the King."

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Ron placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'll make sure of it."

Hermione nodded slowly, then walked over to the black king and took his spot.

"What about you Ron?" Alex asked.

"Me? I'm going to be a knight!" Ron ran up and traded places with the knight he'd spoken with earlier. "We're ready!" He shouted over to the white pieces.

"White always moves first." Harry said, "Look!" A white pawn moved forward two spaces.

Ron smiled and began the game. The white pieces showed no mercy when taking their pieces, quickly, a pile of limp black pieces was at the side of the board. Their only confidence was Ron, he was running around the board taking white pieces practically every turn.  
>A real shock came when their other knight was taken and he lay there limp on the side of the board, Hermione couldn't stop staring at it, even as Ron mumbled something and shouted orders for Harry to take a piece.<br>Twice, Ron had barely noticed in time to stop Harry and Alex from being chopped in to Potter Bites, and Hermione was really starting to get worried.

Slowly, the game processed. Finally, after what had seemed like forever, Ron said, "Nearly there, just a few more moves."  
>The white queen slowly turned her blank stare onto Ron. "Yes…that's it…I have to be taken."<p>

"What?!" Shouted Alex, at the same time, Hermione shouted, "NO!"

"It's chess! Sometimes you have to sacrifice a piece to win the game!" Ron shouted back. "Look, I take one step forward and the queen will take me, leaving Harry free to checkmate the king."

"But—" Hermione objected.

"Do you want to get the stone before Snape or not?"

"Ron—" Alex started.

"There is no alternative, and if we don't finish this now, Snape will already have the stone!" Ron glared at his friends, he then looked at Harry. "Make them go on."

Harry frowned, but nodded. Ron smiled at him, then took a step forward, facing the white queen. She pounced on Ron, hitting him along the head with her club. Harry closed his eyes as Ron was drug to the side of the board by the queen. Hermione and Alex were screaming, but were staying where they were for the time being.

"Time to end this." Harry said, moving the three spaces to the left, successfully checkmating the king. "Checkmate." The king took off his crown and threw it down at Harry's feet. They'd won, but it hardly felt like a victory.

The chessmen parted and bowed, showing the way to the next room. Harry ran and grabbed the wrists of Alex and Hermione.

"What if he's—" Hermione started.

"I'm sure he'll be alright." Alex assured her.

The next room they could smell before they saw it. As soon as they opened the door, the stench was overwhelming, making their eyes water.

"It's a troll." Alex stated, open mouthed, "It's twice the size the one we fought on Halloween."

'_So_, _They really did fight a troll after all…' _Harry thought as he went over towards the troll. Holding his nose, he bent down to check if it was dead. "I think it's out cold."

Hermione ran over and checked the door. "It's unlocked, so I suppose Snape knocked him out for us and unlocked the door."

Alex shrugged and nodded, eager to get out of the room. "Let's go."

Harry stepped around the troll carefully and followed the other two out of the dreadful room.

"I suppose that just leaves Snape's challenge." Harry said, stepping into the next room. And indeed it was, it seemed very straightforward, just seven differently shaped bottles on a stone table in front of them and a door behind the table.

"Wonder what we have to do…" Alex said stepping over the threshold of the room. The second the last person had crossed the threshold of the room purple flames sprung up behind them, blocking the way back, and black flames appeared before them blocking the way forward.

"It can't ever be simple can it?" Alex asked the air.

"What do we have to do?" Harry asked Hermione, who had seized a roll of parchment that was next to one of the bottles.

"Let me read…" She answered.

_**'Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,**_

_**Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,**_

_**One among us seven will let you move ahead,**_

_**Another will transport the drinker back instead,**_

_**Two among our number hold only nettle wine,**_

_**Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.**_

_**Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,**_

_**To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:**_

_**First, however slyly the poison tries to hide**_

_**You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;**_

_**Second, different are those who stand at either end,**_

_**But if you would move onwards neither is your friend;**_

_**Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,**_

_**Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;**_

_**Fourth, the second left and the second on the right**_

_**Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.'**__*****_

"Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, "It's a logic puzzle."

"Agreed. Some wizards may have magnificent magical prowess but not have a drop of logic to their name." Hermione explained. "They'd be stuck here forever."

"Well, are _we_ going to be stuck here forever?" Alex asked.

"Let me think…" Hermione said, mulling over the parchment's clues. Harry came over and looked at them over her shoulder, studying them just as intensely.

Alex went over to the bottles, their contents all looked the same to him. He was really glad that Ron, Hermione and Harry hadn't backed out, he never would have gotten this far without them.

"I think I have it." Hermione walked behind the stone table, she pointed to the smallest one, "This one will get us through the black fire to go onward."

"There's only enough there for one, maybe two of us." Alex stated, glancing at the tiny bottle. "Which one takes you back through the purple?"

Hermione pointed to the rounded one on the right.

"Right, Hermione, It's simple. You go back for Ron, take the broomsticks up past the dog and go find a teacher. Alex and I won't be able to handle whatever is on the other side of that door alone." Harry stated.

"What? No way are you coming with me! I won't let you." Alex shouted.

"You are not pulling the selfless Gryffindor act again with me _little_ _brother_. And you can't stop me from coming." Harry stared down Alex until he broke.

"Fine, but Hermione still has to get help."

"B-but… what if Snape or is in there? Or You-Know-Who?" Hermione asked tearfully.

"Then it's better that you go the opposite direction." Harry said handing Hermione the rounded vial.

"Plus, I've already beat him once, I'll be fine. And I'll protect Harry too." Alex smiled at Hermione.

"Oh _Alex_!" Hermione ran up to Alex and hugged him tight.

"_Hermione!_"

She let go quickly and said, "Don't you dare get hurt, I can't have another friend hurt. Same goes for you Harry!" She took a sip of the potion and shivered, heading for the flames. She took a deep breath and headed through the flames.

Alex turned from watching Hermione to find that Harry had already taken his sip of the potion and was holding out the vial to Alex. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going."

Alex nodded. He took the vial from Harry and drank the last of it. Then the twins went side by side into the next challenge.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There you have it! They've gone beneath the school! With Harry! You know I couldn't leave him out on such fun! I really felt Harry showing his Slytherin side in parts of this chapter… maybe it's just me though.**

I will note, just in case some of you are confused, this follows

_**very closely**_** on book events inside the chamber, not really the movie events. So if you've only watched the movie… Surprise!  
><strong>

**See you all next week!**

**NINJA OUT!**

_*****__**Taken directly from J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' published by Scholastic Press (NOT MINE)**_


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